


Chosen

by roeskva



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Aliens Make Them Do It, Aphrodisiacs, F/M, First Time, Loss of Virginity, Plot What Plot, Romance, Tok'ra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-06
Updated: 2011-12-06
Packaged: 2017-10-27 00:16:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 26,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/289467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roeskva/pseuds/roeskva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When they fled through the Stargate, leaving their enemies behind, Samantha Carter and Martouf/Lantash thought they would be going back to safety on Earth. Instead, a malfunctioning Stargate sent them to an alien planet, just in time for the yearly Spring festival. Unable to gate home, they are picked as the year's 'chosen couple' and forced to participate in fertility rites. As if that was not enough, the people on the planet discovers Martouf if not an ordinary human, but host to Lantash - a being from a species which they consider gods.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Stranded

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes: Written for kink-bigbang 2011, on Livejournal (Kinks: Aliens make them have sex (fertility rituals; intoxication;), Aphrodisiacs, Bonds (mating or soul bonds), First times (first time between two individuals; losing virginity)). Thanks to pagan_twylight and skarpedin for beta'ing and for (many) invaluable discussions about this fic. Thanks to silentflux for awesome art (can be found here: http://kink-bigbang.livejournal.com/66326.html)!
> 
> Takes place late third season/early fourth season.
> 
> * indicates host/symbiote internal communication.

"Hurry up!" O'Neill yelled at the others, "They're coming!"

"We're right behind you!" Sam shouted back, running as fast as she could towards the open wormhole.

SG-1 and Martouf/Lantash had been on a mission to the planet P3X-458, to study the ruins there. Everything had gone well for the first three days. Daniel had been excited over the many inscriptions, and Sam had found an almost intact alien laboratory, which even still contained machines and equipment. Martouf and Lantash had divided their time between helping Daniel with the translations, and helping Sam study the alien science. O'Neill and Teal'c had patrolled the area, and found the place boring, but peaceful.

Then a large contingent of Jaffa had shown up, and SG-1 had been hopelessly out-gunned. They had been forced to flee without being able to take anything from the ruins, and the Jaffa had managed to get their hands on a piece of alien weaponry which Sam and Martouf/Lantash had been studying. Unfortunately, they had all been at the campsite when the Jaffa arrived. If only they had been at the laboratory, things might have looked very different. The alien weaponry appeared to be quite powerful, and might well have been enough to fight off the Jaffa.

As it was, their enemies had the weapon now, and were currently firing at them as they ran. The only thing saving them was that it had not been calibrated correctly, yet, and so the Jaffa were not able to hit small targets with it. Of course, it still sent out powerful blasts that exploded all around them, and the decision to attempt to flee through the Stargate had been easy to make. The Jaffa might get in a lucky shot anytime.

Now a connection to Earth had been established, the IDC had been sent, and Daniel had just gone through. O'Neill and Teal'c were standing beside the gate, holding the wormhole open and waiting for Martouf/Lantash who were helping Sam, who had sprained her ankle.

Sam looked back over her shoulder, seeing the Jaffa come out of the forest surrounding the Stargate. They were no more than maybe 100 feet away, and aiming the alien weapon. Ahead of her, the open wormhole beckoned.

Teal'c went through the Stargate, and O'Neill nodded at her and Martouf, seeing that they would make it. He jumped through.

Only moments later, Sam and Martouf/Lantash reached the Stargate and threw themselves into the event horizon while powerful blasts zipped past them and hit the Stargate itself. Fortunately, it did not seem to sustain any damage.

\-----  
Martouf landed hard on top of Sam, who made a sound as the air was knocked out of her.

"Sorry, Samantha."

He quickly rolled off her and they both turned to look as the wormhole shut down behind them, one last shot passing harmlessly over their heads. They had made it!

"Why is the iris not closing?" Sam looked around her. "And...what's happened to the gateroom?"

"I...don't think we are at Stargate Command." Martouf said slowly.

"Also...where are Daniel, Teal'c, and the Colonel?" Sam frowned as she sat up, groaning a little. "Did Daniel enter a wrong address? Did you see which chevrons were on?"

"No...we need to go to another planet... _quickly_!" Martouf jumped up and ran to the DHD, starting to dial out.

"You're right!" Sam slowly scrambled to her legs, trying not to put too much weight on the sprained ankle. "If he dialed the wrong address, the Jaffa could be coming here - they may have seen this address!"

Martouf hit the centre button on the DHD and the Stargate powered down with a disappointing sound, all the lights going off. He tried again, but with the same result. "It is not locking on."

"Try another address." Sam suggested, getting nervous.

Martouf nodded. "I will." He dialed a different world, then another. None of them connected. "I believe the problem is with the chaapa'ai - or perhaps even the entire network..." He frowned, kneeling beside the DHD. He opened a panel in the side of it and looked at the crystals inside.

"Is anything wrong with it?"

"I don't know - nothing is burned out, and it all looks normal, but I do not have the necessary tools to run a diagnostic of it."

"The 'Ring of the Gods' does not allow for travel during the time of the festivals." Someone said behind them, in heavily accented standard.

Sam and Martouf/Lantash turned to see a small group of people, led by a man who seemed to be in his mid-fifties.

"We just came through it." Martouf pointed out.

The man nodded. "Yes, we observed your arrival. The festival times have only just begun, but you should not have been able to travel through the Ring regardless. You have clearly been sent by the Gods."

"Ah...I don't think so." Sam tried smiling friendly at him. "Listen, have you seen others dressed like us?" She indicated the green BDUs both she and Martouf wore.

"No, never. Also, we observed the activation of the Ring, and no one but yourselves were sent through it."

Sam frowned, turning to Martouf. "That's worrisome."

He nodded. "Yes...though I suppose the chaapa'ai could have malfunctioned, due to the very powerful weapons-fire hitting it just as we went through. We may have been sent to a different planet than the others. Lantash has experienced this once before."

"He has?" Sam looked surprised. "It happened to SG-1 too - a couple years ago!" She wrinkled her brow. "That may actually be what's happened - and then the others should be fine, and safely on Earth." She shook her head at the low probability of something like this affecting people - and people who had experienced it before, no less.

"I apologize, but since you are clearly stranded here - in whatever manner this has come to be - may we invite you to our Spring festival?" The leader of the small group of locals asked. "I am Wihnek - a member of the local Council of elders." He bowed.

"Eh..." Sam looked uncertain. She gazed at Martouf, who seemed to confer with Lantash.

"We are honoured to accept your kind invitation," Martouf finally said, making the small half-bow the Tok'ra used for more formal greetings. "I am Martouf, and this is Samantha."

"Major Samantha Carter of Earth...eh, the Tau'ri," Sam added.

"You are very welcome." Wihnek bowed again. "Please, follow me."

\-----  
They had walked for maybe twenty minutes when they reached the village. Martouf had supported Sam now and then, but she insisted on walking on her own most of they way, limping a little from the pain in her foot. It had been early evening when they arrived, and the sky was darkening, so many lights had been lit in the buildings and outside, probably because of the celebration.

The light conditions seemed a little strange here, and Sam looked up at the sky. She gasped, " _Wow_!"

Martouf looked up as well, admiring the strong and very colourful aurora that were flashing across the sky, the ribbons flowing up and down. "Very beautiful," He sounded suitably impressed. "I believe this may explain why the chaapa'ai does not permit travel during this time of the year."

"Of course!" Sam agreed. "It must be some sort of localized astronomical phenomenon, which only happens during a certain period each year, and which would endanger the travellers or something."

"Yes, like strong solar eruptions and flares, or perhaps from the planet passing through a cloud of ionized particles, on its journey around its sun," Martouf suggested.

"Wow." Sam stared at him.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, it's just...what you said...that would usually be _my_ line...when I'm with the rest of SG-1, I mean."

"Friends...come this way," Wihnek, the Council member from before called after them. "There is still time for you to join the evening's celebration, but you must change into different clothing first. These will help you." He indicated a group of women approaching. "Also, our chief healer will take care of your foot, Samantha. It is important that you are able to move freely and without pain for the celebration. Anything else would surely bring bad luck."

"Eh, okay, sounds good, I guess. Listen, when does this, ah, festival, end?" Sam wanted to know.

"This day sennight." Wihnek said.

"Wait..." Sam thought for a moment. "In, ah, seven days?" She frowned. "You're going to keep us here for _seven days_?"

Wihnek turned to another man who joined their group. He was dressed in a long white dress-like garment, with a robe around his shoulders. The robe shone in all the colours of an aurora, which was most likely the intention. He wore a strange headdress, which somehow reminded Sam of Zipacna. He had a stern expression.

The newcomer talked with Wihnek for a while, in a language Sam did not understand, before Wihnek turned back to them, smiling a little ashamed.

"This is our high priest, Zohnek. He wanted to know what the problem was. He wishes me to tell you that leaving during the festival would be an insult to the gods, and would bring us bad luck for this year's harvest. The seeds will be planted after the celebrations have ended, and it is a time were we must do our best for the gods to look upon us with benevolence, or the people will starve."

"Bad luck?" Sam looked strangely at him.

"In any case, you could not leave here earlier even if it did _not_ cause bad luck," Wihnek said, sounding apologetic. "The Ring will simply not engage during the Spring festival. Please follow Tenka and the other women, they will make sure you are properly dressed."

Sam nodded, sighing deeply, while Martouf did not seem overly concerned. They politely followed the group of women, who led them to a hut that always stood ready for any visitors that might arrive, and which Sam and Martouf/Lantash would stay in while being the guests of the village.

It turned out Tenka was the only one of them which understood anything, but the local tongue - which neither Martouf nor Lantash had ever heard before. It was not a problem, though, as the clothing they were given was not difficult to put on. They were soon deemed acceptable for the festival.

\-----  
Sam and Martouf sat down beside each other in the seats appointed to them by the locals. They had been placed just beside the members of the Village Council of Elders, as they were honoured guests. Sam did not feel precisely comfortable, sitting in such a prominent position, especially with all the locals smiling at them now and then, looking at them with almost a kind of worship.

Earlier, a healer had examined Sam's foot, touching it and twisting it a little for a few moments. Then he had put some sort of ointment on it, and the pain had disappeared almost instantly. Sam was intrigued, and hoped they would somehow find a way to get a sample to take back home.

She looked down at the clothes she now wore, a little unhappily. Their uniforms had been deemed unsuitable for the celebrations and had been taken from them. They were now both dressed in local clothing - identical long white robes, with no decoration, held together with a black sash. On their feet they wore soft, brown leather sandals. As native clothing went, it was not bad, particularly when compared to what she had sometimes had to wear on certain missions.

Nevertheless, she was getting a bad feeling about all this, especially since neither she nor Martouf/Lantash could speak with more than a hand-full of the locals, who had been the ones to do business with any traders that arrived on the planet.

She sighed deeply and looked out over the mass of people, who all seemed to be having a good time, laughing and talking. The weather was nice and the air was still warm, so tables and benches had been placed on a large square in the middle of the village. The aurora was picking up in strength, and would have illuminated the place on its own, even if the locals had not decorated with a multitude of coloured lamps and lanterns. They were not the only decoration - flower garlands hung everywhere, emitting a pleasant fragrance that filled the air.

"You are concerned?" Martouf said, picking up on her mood.

"Yes...I mean, I realise everyone here seems happy enough, and I'm very grateful for what the healer did to my foot, but I've had bad experiences with people who insisted I 'go native' and follow local tradition. Besides, I didn't like that priest. He seemed a bit too..."

"...dedicated? Fanatical?" Martouf nodded. "I agree, and he concerns me as well. As for following local tradition? It is often a requirement, when you wish to 'blend in' with an alien culture, and it is always the respectful thing to do when visiting."

Sam sighed. "True, I just have a bad feeling about it all. Not in the least because people are looking at us with some sort of reverence. I wonder why? I hope they're not expecting us to do some kind of magic that will give them a bumper harvest - or something."

Martouf frowned. "Very true, though apparently we somehow symbolize good luck for them, as we came through the chaapa'ai at this time. Let us hope they expect nothing else from us than our presence."

"Never mind. They're bringing out the food now. It looks delicious, and I'm starving!" Sam looked happily at the abundance of food being carried out.

Large platters and bowls full of food were placed on the tables. On each were a large, spit-roasted deer. There were also plenty of whole roasted fowl of some kind, with a spicy, fragrant gravy. In addition, there were platters containing whole baked fish, with a savory sauce, several kinds of pies filled with meat and vegetables, spicy chicken soup, cold meats of various kinds, as well as plenty of roasted tubers, roots, and various kinds of cabbages. Well, any type of vegetable, really, as long as it was something which it had been possible to store over the winter, since there were no fresh ones at this time of the year.

Along with all this was served freshly baked bread, which was arranged in large baskets. No one would go hungry tonight, that was for sure! To drink with this feast, were large pitchers full of fruit juice, as alcohol would not be consumed until the third day of the festival.

When people had eaten for some time, Wihnek rose. An old man beside him got up as well, and spoke at length in the the local language.

Then Wihnek began talking. "I am going to speak on behalf of the Council of elders, and the honoured priests, as I speak the tongue of our guests. High leader Lohkak says to wish you a warm welcome, and that we are honoured by your presence. You arrived through the Ring, which is a very good omen. It is a powerful symbol of fertility, and so, by extension, are you! Your presence will undoubtedly double our harvest next year, _at least_...something which would very much be needed. The weather is dryer and hotter each year compared to the one before it. The harvest meager. _Your_ arrival will no doubt be what turns this around..."

He droned on, for quite some time, making first Lantash, then Sam, then finally Martouf bored. Eventually, he finished, but they were not allowed to start eating yet. First the priests and priestesses needed to say several blessings, so that the meal would bring good luck for the harvest. Sam groaned silently and tried not to focus on her empty stomach.

\-----  
Eventually, the various religious rites had apparently been satisfactorily completed, and people dug into the food.

"Is the food to your satisfaction, honoured guests?" Wihnek questioned.

"Yes, thank you. Very much so," Martouf said.

Sam nodded. "It's very good. _Delicious_!"

Wihnek looked pleased. "That is good. The gods are pleased!" He turned to the man beside him and listened for a little while, before looking towards Sam and Martouf again. "I am to tell you that tomorrow's celebration starts at sundown, and that you are welcome to explore the village and its surroundings during the day, as long as you are back early enough to be cleansed in the ritual baths before the dinner."

"Of course, we will make sure to do that." Martouf answered.

"Have you and your lovely mate any plans for tomorrow? Otherwise we can give you suggestions for interesting things to do. There is a small forest nearby, which is very lovely at this time of the year, with pale green leaves on the trees and the colourful spring flowers everywhere. It is a good place for a romantic lunch, which might put you in the right mood."

"Ah..." Martouf glanced quickly at Sam, not sure what to say.

"We're not...exactly _mates_." Sam said. "More like...ah, colleagues? Friends?"

Wihnek looked surprised - and somewhat alarmed. "You are not mated?"

"Not yet, at least," Martouf hurriedly said, recognizing a potential danger when he saw one. "We are...on a journey to get to know each other better..." He put a hand on Sam's, smiling at her.

She took the hint and remained quiet, though her eyes told him they would talk more about this later.

"I see." Wihnek frowned.

\-----  
Sam and Martouf/Lantash had assured Wihnek they would take a 'romantic lunch' in the nearby forest the next day, and he had then allowed them to retire to their hut. It was clear he was not happy.

Sam shook her head and sighed. "I wonder why they reacted like _that_? I mean, thinking we're _mates_? That's _crazy_!"

"I believe it has to do with their Spring festival, and the fact that we arrived through the chaapa'ai at this exact time. The Tok'ra have met several cultures who consider the chaapa'ai a symbol of fertility, usually because the event horizon resembles water. We came through the chaapa'ai - clearly by accident - and just around the time where it starts to block passage for travellers. The locals took this to mean we have been sent by their gods."

"As a symbol of fertility and good luck for their harvest." Sam groaned. "I get it...they're probably also not used to a man and a woman travelling on their own together, unless they're a pair, so that's why they thought we were, ah, _together_."

"Perhaps, though I doubt that is the case. They do not seem to mind letting us share a hut, despite _not_ being mated, and I believe they would have if they thought it strange to have an unmated man and woman travel alone together."

They had now reached the hut and after entering it, Lantash took control. He had stayed hidden during the time they had been here, since the locals might react badly to him, thinking he was a Goa'uld.

"Samantha, it is my belief that the people here subscribes to the idea that ritual mating around the time of planting increases the fertility of the fields and so the probability of a bountiful harvest. Since we have now become a symbol of fertility and good luck, it has become imperative for them that _we_ mate. I believe _that_ is the reason for Wihnek's unhappiness, upon learning we are not a couple."

"Well, he'll just have to be unhappy then! I'm not sleeping with _anyone_ just to make some superstitious villagers happy!" Sam snorted.

"I assume 'to sleep with' is a Tau'ri euphemism for mating?" Lantash said, lifting an eyebrow. Sam rolled her eyes at him and he nodded, his suspicion confirmed. "Do not be concerned, Samantha. Martouf and I would never force you to do something you do not want, however much...the people of this planet may desire it..."

"Good. Now, where do you want to sleep? The bed or the floor?" She followed him into the bedroom.

"The bed is wide enough for both of us. You do not have to fear I will ravish you." His eyes sparkled in amusement. "Are you perhaps _afraid_ of sharing the bed with me and Martouf?"

"Afraid? Of course not!" Sam scoffed. "I'm sleeping in _this_ side." She patted the bed. "See to it you're not stealing my pillow or blanket!"

"Samantha!" Lantash pretended to be shocked. "I would never do such a thing!"

\-----  
Day 2.

"Ah, is that the food and other stuff for our picnic?" Sam wondered, pointing at the basket and blanket Martouf was carrying. He had left to pick up some food for them, while Sam bathed and got dressed.

"Yes." Martouf nodded. "They even gave us two large bottles of some sort of sparkling fruit wine, saying it was permissible for us to drink this early in the festival, since we were...honoured guests."

Sam rolled her eyes. "I'm honoured."

Martouf grinned wryly. "They do seem somewhat... _enthusiastic_ about us."

They began to walk towards the forest.

*I suspect the locals hope the wine will make Samantha more open to, ah, our advances,* Lantash suggested.

*I agree. They _did_ make me promise to increase my attempts at wooing Samantha...* He sighed. *I would be more than happy to do as they wish, but I very much fear Samantha is not open to the idea.*

*Perhaps this time we are stranded here with her will help us determine if she might be interested - and maybe even make her come to accept the possibility of a relationship with us. We have only been here for one day, there is still time to try to convince her.*

"Martouf - have you noticed the sun? It was too late in the day yesterday to notice it, but...it seems awfully bright - and not the colour you would expect from a solar-type star..." Sam frowned.

Martouf looked at the sun. "I agree. It is whiter, _hotter_ , than the majority of the stars that have planets with chaapa'ai's on them."

"I guess it could be a heavier star...it could still have planets, but they would probably not survive long enough for life to develop..."

"They do not need to. Many, if not most, of the planets with chaapa'ai have been changed to accommodate life as we know it."

"True," Sam agreed. She wrinkled her brow. "If it's a heavier star...that's perhaps at the end of it's time on the main sequence..."

"Main sequence?"

"Starting to use up it's hydrogen and going on to burn helium."

"Ah." Martouf nodded. "Though it would have become redder if that was the case."

"In any case, _nearing the end_ of it's time on the main sequence..." She glared at him, daring him to contradict her. "Then it could, perhaps, have become somewhat unstable...and have yearly eruptions causing these aurorae..."

"They said the weather had become hotter and drier...because their star is getting warmer, perhaps?"

"Perhaps...or part of a more localized phenomenon, limited to the planet." Sam sighed. "It's no use speculating - we just don't know enough."

\-----  
Martouf opened the first bottle of the fruit wine they had been given and took out the two glasses. He poured some wine into one of them, then looked expectantly at Sam. "Would you like to try the fruit wine as well, Samantha?"

Sam shrugged. "Why not?" She sighed. "Since we're not going to be able to leave this place for the next week, I guess we can just as well relax and look at it as a vacation. I don't remember when the last time was I had one of those."

Martouf nodded. "That would seem like a good idea. The food is good and this place is both peaceful and pleasant." He took a small sip from the wine. "And this is excellent."

"The Tok'ra take vacations?" Sam sounded surprised.

"We do. If we are not undercover or otherwise unable to, most Tok'ra take at least a week or more off every year. It is beneficial for the moral, as well as sometimes necessary after hard missions."

"Mm, sounds sensible. Do you have parties too? So, when did you last take a vacation? I'll bet it's been longer than since _I_ took one?"

"We do have parties, while it is not often. If our life was only hard work and danger, it would not truly be a life, would it? As for Lantash and I? We have not felt much interest in social life or taking a vacation since...since Jolinar and Rosha died." He looked sad.

Sam looked down, ashamed of herself. "Sorry."

"Do not be sorry. Lantash and I both enjoy being here with you. We hope this will give us a chance to get to know you better. Usually we only ever meet when there is a crisis."

"True." Sam smiled. "You're right!" She touched her glass to his. "To life! Cheers!" She took a large drink.

Martouf smiled. "To life." He emptied the glass and refilled both his own and hers.

Sam giggled a little. This stuff was _strong_. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The air was already warm here in the small sheltered clearing where they sat. The sun was burning hot for it being this early in the year. The birds were singing, and the trees were covered in pale green leaves. She took another deep breath, enjoying the soft fragrance from the spring flowers. Life was good, and she had almost a whole week off. Nothing to do...and a handsome man to spend the time with. _Men_ , she corrected herself. She had to admit she was looking forward to getting to know Martouf and Lantash better. Perhaps she would even be able to sort out her feelings?

She looked at him, and he gave her one of his most charming smiles. She felt her heart beat faster. She definitely felt something for him, but was it her or Jolinar who felt it? Did it even matter? She decided she would not worry about it right now. She took another drink from her glass, then scooted closer to Martouf, putting her hand on his leg.

"So, tell me about Tok'ra parties..."

\-----  
They had talked and laughed and had fun, and Sam was still a little drunk when they finally headed back towards their hut, wanting to make sure they were back early enough for that 'ritual cleansing' that was apparently required before today's dinner.

This turned out to mean bathing in a hot, natural spring. The water bubbled out of the ground in several places, and formed a large pool. A large bath house had been built around the natural pool, both to allow bathing inside in bad weather, and to allow for gender segregation - something which was strange to Martouf and Lantash, since the Tok'ra communal pools were used by males and females together.

Sam found the water to be very pleasant, though it smelled a bit of sulphur, which she knew was not unusual for hot springs. She was a little uncomfortable with bathing naked together with so many strangers, but she quickly forgot about it and allowed herself to soak and enjoy the water.

The bath was concluded with a quick - and cold - bath, which was at least refreshing, if nothing else. Shivering, Sam rubbed herself dry with the soft cloth she was given, then dressed in the clothes that had been put out for her. They were similar to what they had worn yesterday, with the exception of the colour. The clothing had been white yesterday, this was a deep red. The sash was still black, though. Sam looked at herself in the polished piece of metal that served as a mirror. She thought it looked better than the white had done, but the red was a bit too dark to go well with her complexion. Knowing that everyone - with the exception of the priests - wore the same, she just shrugged and left to find Martouf.

This was easier said than done, she realised, as she looked out over the sea of people, all wearing identical red robes. She was about to despair, when she spotted a man with dark-blond hair, and hurried to him, waving at him. She reflected it was lucky they both had lighter hair than what was the norm here, or it might have taken even longer to find him.

"Martouf!" She caught up to him, and he turned towards her, smiling.

"Samantha. I apologize for not waiting for you outside the bath house, but Wihnek insisted on talking to me."

Sam looked at Wihnek, who immediately inclined his head, smiling politely at her. "Samantha Carter. You look well. I trust the lunch excursion was to your satisfaction? Martouf tells me you did not return until shortly before it was time for the bath."

"Thanks, it was nice, yeah. I can see why you like that place - very peaceful." Sam looked at him, then Martouf, somewhat suspiciously. She would have to ask later what they had talked about.

Before they could say anything more, a large gong sounded. It was time for the day's ceremonial dinner.

\-----  
"Interestingly, the red colour symbolizes purity here. I believe I have only met one culture where it has that meaning before - it was a world ruled by one of Kali's underlings," Martouf said. "As well as it being the main colour of the aurora today, of course."

"You're right - I hadn't noticed." Sam looked up. There really was a lot of red in the sky's light display this evening. She sighed. "Listen, Martouf...I realise it's probably none of my business, and if it isn't, then just tell me so, but...what did you and Wihnek talk about before I came?"

He was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "There is no reason why I should not tell you. It certainly concerns you as well. Among other things, he wanted to know if I could report any, ah, _progress_ , in my courtship of you." He smiled shyly at her.

"Your _courtship_! I wasn't aware you were courting me!"

"Well, I did not tell him I was, but since they seem very inclined that we should become mates, I decided it was better to, ah, not dissuade him from his belief."

"You allowed him to think we went on a romantic picnic, so you could _court_ me." Sam sighed. "Well, I guess it doesn't hurt, and if it will keep them happy, then by all means, let's pretend."

"I believe that would be a prudent measure."

\-----  
The dinner was not as lavish as the one the day before, nor as long, as there would be a celebration at sunrise the next morning. The food was still very good, though. It consisted of a meat and vegetable stew, served with freshly baked bread. The dessert was fruit - pears and apples. Water was the only drink permitted this evening.

However, if the food was less varied, then the decorations were more so. The main colour of the garlands today was red, matching the robes everyone wore, but it was interspersed with flowers of white and yellow, as well as fresh leaves. There were vases overflowing with flowers on all the tables, and the multicoloured paper lamps from the day before had been exchanged for torches and candles. Sam actually felt a little nervous that all these open flames should lead to accidents, but nothing untoward happened.

When the dinner was over, Wihnek told them they were expected to participate in the ritual hunt the next day. As honoured guests it was considered good luck, and Sam and Martouf/Lantash somewhat reluctantly agreed to participate. They would be hunting wild boar, for eating during the celebration in the evening.

\-----  
Day 3.

Sam slowly woke up. The air outside the blanket was chilly, but she felt pleasantly warm, and did not really feel like getting up. She considered going back to sleep, but remembered they had to go on that damn hunt today. Besides, she was starting to get hungry, and she did not want to miss the common breakfast in the city square, and that would start early today.

She yawned and stretched, then froze as she felt another body beside her. She opened her eyes and immediately realised what the source of the pleasant warmth was. Martouf! During the night she had moved so that she now lay very close to him, pressed against his side, with her arm partially flung over his chest.

The thin curtains allowed a diffuse sunlight to filter into the room, and she could see the still sleeping man clearly. She had to admit he felt nice against her, and she did not move away as quickly as she told herself she should have. She allowed herself a moment to look at him first, and she felt her heart beat faster. He looked _cute_ like this, but also very, very attractive.

She had a sudden memory flash of Jolinar lying like this, admiring her sleeping mates. Of course, she had kissed him, wakening him, which had led to them making passionate love.

Part of Sam felt jealous, and she felt a strong desire to kiss him. It would be so easy...

She immediately scolded herself. What was she _thinking_? The reasons why it was a bad idea to initiate anything with Martouf, were too many to think about, beginning with the fact that he probably was only interested in her because of Jolinar.

Sam sighed, then slowly slid away from him, trying not to wake him up. She had almost gotten out of bed, when he moved a little and made a soft sound, almost a sigh. He turned over on his side, facing her, then mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like Samantha.

She shook her head, certain she must have heard him wrong. She quickly got up and grabbed her clothes, then managed to trip over one of her own sandals. She stumbled, but did not quite fall, though the sound was enough to wake up Martouf.

"Mpfh?" He opened his eyes. "Samantha." He smiled sleepily at her.

Sam quickly smoothed out her short nightgown. "Good morning, Martouf." She smiled at him.

"Good morning." He continued looking at her for a moment longer, clearing enjoying the fact that she was wearing much less than what she usually did. Her nightgown was made of a thin material and only reached to her mid-thighs. Where she was standing right now, with her back to the sunlit window, he could see her figure almost as if the clothing was not there. He smiled wider, as Lantash woke up and commented on the fact.

Sam felt self-conscious. "Listen, I'm feeling kinda hungry. I don't want to miss the breakfast."

"Of course." Martouf nodded, sitting up in the bed. "We should hurry."

\-----  
After breakfast, the villagers prepared to go on the ritual boar hunt. From what Sam and Martouf/Lantash had been explained, there were normally three couples picked who would compete to be the first to kill a wild boar. This year, Sam and Martouf/Lantash had been chosen to take part as well, which meant there were four couples. The villagers seemed to have high hopes for a particularly good hunt. Apparently, the boars that were shot during the hunt would be eaten at the dinner tonight, and if no boars were shot during the six hour long hunt, then it meant bad luck for the entire village and for the harvest that year. Of course, it also meant no roast boars for the evenings feast.

"It would seem there's a lot of things that means bad luck here!" Sam observed. "Perhaps we should bring our MP5's? I can use a bow, but I'm not that good at it."

"Bringing our own weapons is a good idea in any case. Wild boars are very dangerous, and I do not wish to rely on a bow and arrow to kill it - and a spear if it gets too close." He frowned. "We should ask to be allowed to use our own weapons."

The locals had no problems with Sam and Martouf/Lantash using different weapons - it actually seemed they considered it a special honour that was being bestowed upon them, and the hunting party left.

\-----  
Sam had her MP5 set for single-shot, and was aiming at the wild boar standing about 400 feet away. She squeezed the trigger, and moments later the boar fell to the ground, dead.

The local people participating in the hunt all jumped in surprise from the sound of the shot, but there now came a gasp from all of them, followed by awed whispers.

"Nice shot, Samantha," Martouf said.

"Thanks."

Wihnek finally found his voice, "That...was beyond belief. I would not have thought it possible! Using our best bows, our very best hunters can shoot a deer at 220-230 feet, a boar at perhaps a little less." He shook his head. "You, and your magical weapons are truly sent by the gods!"

After the boar had been fetched and they continued on the hunt, Sam leaned in to whisper in Martouf's ear, "Now, perhaps, they'll leave us alone - seeing what we can do!"

"Perhaps," Martouf answered, suspecting it would only make the locals more determined. Of course, it depended on what the purpose of this hunt was, but he strongly suspected it was a way of choosing one of the couples, for something - and not just a ritual hunt intended to bring food and good luck for the festival. Lantash agreed with him, but they kept quiet. Nothing would change anyway, and they could not risk Sam - or Martouf - saying something that would antagonize the locals. Not when they were trapped here on the planet.

\-----  
Sam shot another boar, and a man from one of the other couples shot one as well. The hunt had been the most successful in many years, and there would be much food for the celebration tonight. Everyone congratulated Sam - and Martouf - as winners of the hunt.

Smiling and happy, the participants went to take a bath, before dressing in robes in today's colour, which turned out to be orange. While they relaxed until dinner-time, the boars would be roasted and prepared with the rest of the food.

\-----  
Sam sighed, touching her orange robe. "I can't say I would ever have chosen this colour - it makes me look very washed-out. Looks really good on the locals, though, with their black hair."

"I believe the colour of the day's dress is chosen to match the dominating colour in the aurora that day," Martouf observed. "I doubt it matters to the population of this world whether it 'looks good' or not." He smiled. "Though I must admit I _do_ think it looks good on you."

"Thanks." Sam looked out over the place, seeing Wihnek wave at them, signalling the should join him. "Seems we get seats of honour today as well."

They went to sit at the table with Wihnek and the other Council members, as well as the priests, just as they had the other days.

The feast was lavish that evening, like it had been the first day, but with the wild boars now being the main course. There was also various kinds of fowl, bread, roast tubers and vegetables, as well as pies for dessert. A very good, and not too sweat fruit juice was served with the food, which complemented the rest nicely. When people got to the dessert, the glasses were filled with a crisp, sparkling fruit wine, which tasted very good together with the sweet pies filled with apples and pears.

\-----  
The dinner was over, and it was almost time for people to go home, when the head priest, Zohnek rose, and signalled the man standing at the gong. He struck the instrument once, producing a deep. reverberating tone. Everyone grew quiet, and the priest began to speak.

Sam and Martouf/Lantash understood nothing, of course, but they started to worry as the speech became longer, and people around them got very pleased expressions and smiled, almost reverently at them. When they looked towards Wihnek, he shook his head and put a finger to his mouth, making it clear that it was not permissible for anyone else to talk while Zohnek spoke. They resigned themselves to wait.

Finally, the head priest said something to Wihnek, and he answered him, nodding. Then Wihnek turned towards Sam and Martouf/Lantash and told them to stand up, which they did, feeling somewhat ill at ease. The priest again said something, and the population cheered loudly. Then Sam and Martouf were allowed to sit down, and shortly after people began to leave.

Turning to Wihnek, they both gave him stern looks.

"Well? What was _that_ all about?" Sam demanded.

"I apologize," He said. "It is not permissible for anyone to speak while the head priest talks, and especially not at such an auspicious time as this." He sighed. "The priests and priestesses have had a meeting today, and come to the conclusion that you represent the god and goddess who once ruled this world, and that your presence here is a powerful symbol for this year's planting season. The fact that you shot the first boar - and at such a long distance - only confirmed it. Your joining was decided by the gods, and your mating will ensure the best harvest in our history! You will be the chosen couple!"

"Ah, wait just a minute..." Sam began. "I don't think so!"

"It is a great honour! There is always one couple chosen during the festival each year, a couple who will increase the fertility of the lands by being ceremonially joined, and then mating. It guarantees the fertility of the seeds we plant in the fields, when the male of the chosen pair places _his_ seed in the chosen female. However, never before have we had a mate-pair that was chosen directly by the gods! To have their representatives carry out this ritual...it is a dream come true!"

"Whoa! Hold it _right_ there!" Sam shook her head, still not believing what she had just heard.

"You wish us to perform some sort of ritual coupling?" Martouf looked shocked as well. " _Publicly_?"

"No, of course not!" Wihnek looked insulted.

"I'm not having sex with _anyone_ , just because you guys think you'll get a better harvest! You're _crazy_!" Sam exclaimed.

"I am afraid I will have to insist." Wihnek said. "It is of utmost importance for the survival of our people!"

"Could you not just chose another couple?" Martouf wondered, trying to reason with Wihnek. "You would have picked one even if we had not arrived."

"Do you not understand? This choice was made by the gods! For us to then pick another couple? The gods would be so angry they would likely not grant us _any_ harvest at _all_ this year! We would starve to death! We cannot allow that to happen. Surely, you do not wish this fate on us? What have we done to you, to make you wish for this?"

The head priest and a few of his minions had been studying the exchange, and now joined them. He talked quickly to Wihnek, who looked embarrassed, but explained what had been said. The priest got a very stern expression, and turned to Sam and Martouf/Lantash. He spoke for several minutes, his tone making it clear he was both angry and disappointed. Then he turned and left, the other priests following.

"What did he say?" Martouf asked, somewhat apprehensively.

"He said...that if you will not do your duty for our people, then you will be punished."

" _Punished_?" Sam frowned, looking unhappy.

"What does that entail, exactly?" Martouf looked vary.

"It will be determined by the gods, but I fear the punishment will be harsh. Our gods were very hard, and did not accept any failings from their people, which they of course should not."

Martouf sighed. " _How_ will this be determined? It was my understanding the, ah, _gods_ were no longer here?"

"They are always here in spirit, and the priests speak for them, but it has been almost 600 cycles since they lived with us, and at least 500 cycles since their servants came for tributes. We believe we have disappointed them, since the climate has grown steadily harsher."

"Do these gods have names?" Sam asked, realising they were almost certainly Goa'uld.

"Not ones that are for mere mortals to speak. They are the gods." Wihnek wringed his hands, nervously. "You _must_ agree to become mates!"

"May Samantha and I speak in private about this?" Martouf said quickly, when he saw Sam was about to say something in anger.

"There is nothing to discuss. You cannot possibly want the punishment." Wihnek sighed. "Regardless. Speak with her. Come to an agreement so we will not have an unfortunate situation which will cause all of us distress. We will speak tomorrow." He left.

\-----  
"Are these people insane?" Sam exclaimed. "How can they expect us to do this? How can _you_ be so accepting of this?"

"What would you have me do? If the chaapa'ai does not work, we cannot leave." He sighed. "We should go and determine if that is still the case, of course."

"You're right! Let's go there immediately - I wouldn't put it beyond these people to lie to us!"

They began walking towards the Stargate. No one came to stop them, and the roads were in fact quite empty of people. Everyone in the village had already returned home in order to go to sleep early. The celebrations would continue until late night for each of the next four days, so it was a good idea to catch up on sleep now.

"Samantha. We should prepare for the eventuality that the chaapa'ai does in fact _not_ work."

"Well, we have weapons. We both have an MP5 and a zat, I doubt they can defend themselves against _that_."

Martouf nodded. "Probably not, though I would rather not have to kill anyone. We may have to, though, if we hope to stay safe for another four days, if we go that route."

Sam sighed. "You're right, and I don't want to do that either. What about Lantash? Could he pretend to be a Goa'uld? This planet seems to have been ruled by some of them once."

"I believe so as well, though I think they are unlikely to react favourably. Why would he not have shown himself earlier, if he is a god?"

"Perhaps he was testing them?" Sam suggested. "They'd believe _that_ , I'm sure!"

Martouf bowed his head, giving control to Lantash.

"They may, though even if they believe I am a 'god', they may not believe I am _their_ god - especially since I don't even know which Goa'uld ruled here. I am not certain how they would react, and I would prefer not to risk it. Besides, I do not enjoy pretending to be a Goa'uld - and certainly not play someone's 'god' - unless there is no other option."

"Then what? We do as they say?" Sam looked taken aback.

"I would never force you to mate with me, Samantha. Something like that should be a willing choice from all of us." He sighed. "I will not let them force you to do something you do not wish. I _will_ pretend to be a Goa'uld, if it ends up being necessary, but I would prefer trying other options first."

"Okay. Yeah, but what other options _are_ there?"

"Martouf claim you as his mate, and you pretend to do as they wish. There would be no public coupling, so they would be none the wiser."

Sam thought about it for a while. "I guess that could work..."

They had reached the Stargate and dialed Earth. After three attempts at connecting to Earth, and two tries for other planets, they had to admit the locals had told the truth.

"So, we're stuck. Which means we'll try the 'pretend to be mates' solution." She sighed.

"Is that thought really so repulsive to you?" Lantash said, anger - and pain - clear in his voice.

Sam looked at him, surprised. "No. No, of course not. Lantash...it's not that...I mean, I _like_ you. Both of you. I really do."

She looked at him, the bands of light weaving across the sky illuminating his face. He looked tense...angry... _pained._ She felt a stab in her heart, realising it was her fault. _Liked_ them? Oh, yeah, she _liked_ them... _loved_ them, would probably be more correct, but she was not so sure she was ready to tell them. Because...how did _they_ feel? Did they feel anything for her, or was it all because she had carried Jolinar? Because their dead mate left behind feelings for them? She sighed. No, she could not tell them that a large part of her - a part that was constantly getting bigger now when she was spending more time with them - really wanted them to be her mates. For real.

"Good, then this should be manageable for you." Lantash still sounded hurt.

"Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like that before. I find you very attractive." Attractive? More like the most gorgeous man she had ever met! She smiled at him, putting a hand on his left arm.

Lantash sighed deeply. "I apologize, Samantha. As much as both Martouf and I appreciate the opportunity to spend time with you, the situation on this planet is stressful. We do not know what the locals might do to us if we disobey them, and the thought of any danger to you is making us forget our manners."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Sam squeezed his arm. "Let's forget about it - and the people of this planet - just for a short time, and enjoy the evening. The air is almost warm, and the aurora is beautiful."

Lantash smiled. "It _is_ a very pleasant evening, and the lights are indeed beautiful. I would very much enjoy walking with you for a little while."

"I'd like that very much, too."


	2. Drugged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picked as the chosen couple for the spring festival, Sam and Martouf/Lantash find themselves forced to participate in a fertility ritual - and end up having sex, drugged on alien aphrodisiacs.

They had walked for some time, talking a little and just enjoying each other's company. They had almost reached the hut they were staying in, and now stood on the small hill behind the building, admiring the view of the village still illuminated by the many coloured lamps, the sky blossoming with aurora matching them.

It had been a very nice walk, and both Sam and Martouf/Lantash had enjoyed it very much, and none of them wanted the evening to end just yet. Sam looked up at the sky, seeing the clear stars and a luminous nebula shine behind the glowing, flaming aurora.

"Very, very pretty."

"Yes..." Martouf said. "Samantha..." He took her hand. "Tomorrow, if we are to make the villagers believe we have chosen to become mates...perhaps we should...ah...make sure we behave correctly for such a role..." He felt himself blush, and Lantash quickly controlled the reaction.

Sam gave him a quick look, but did not pull her hand away. "Ah...what do you mean?"

"Mates would be assumed to hold hands...perhaps touch each other now and then...a loving caress...a light kiss."

She nodded. "You're right." She looked closely at him. "You want to practice doing that? Really, I thought you'd been with Jolinar long enough to know how to do these kind of things!"

"That is not why. I do, of course, have, ah, _intimate experiences_ with Jolinar. However, we do not know each other in that way, and we cannot risk being discovered by reacting inappropriately to the kiss or the caress of the other. We should get, ah, used to the sensation."

Sam thought it over for a moment. "Okay, that makes sense, I guess..." She said, a little reluctantly.

"I am glad you think so." Martouf entwined his fingers with hers and pulled her closer, putting the other arm around her.

Sam made a small sound as her body suddenly pressed against his. She was acutely aware of the warmth coming from him, the faint scent that the part of her that was Jolinar, recognized instantly. She briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then realized what she was doing. Embarrassed, she was about to disentangle herself from his embrace, when Martouf leaned in and touched his lips to hers.

She did not move for several moments, her brain feeling as if it was suddenly made of clay. Martouf kissed her slowly, gently, moving his lips against hers, then pulled back a little and looked at her, concerned when she did not return his kiss. Sam shook herself and smiled at him, then looked down, obviously embarrassed by her own reaction. Martouf smiled and gave her another kiss...and this time Sam returned it.

She closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss, swaying slightly against him. Martouf kept the kiss soft and undemanding at first, then deepened it, before suddenly ending it abruptly. Sam opened her eyes and looked at him, surprised - and a little disappointed he had broken off the kiss. She felt her love for him very strongly - as well as worry. Had he realised he felt nothing for her? That what he felt was only for what she carried from Jolinar?

"Martouf?"

He swallowed, uncomfortably. *I am not certain this was a good idea, Lantash. I find I have difficulties keeping this... _superficial_. We both love her, _want_ her, so very much, but we do not want to scare her away with our passion, when we do not know how she feels.*

*She was reacting quite favourably just now. I do not believe she minded you deepening the kiss.*

*What if she was just reacting to a memory from Jolinar? What if she would regret it, had we continued?*

*I do not believe she would have. At first, perhaps, but not after thinking it through. We agreed we should attempt to use this time with her to find out what she feels for us, if anything. Martouf...I believe she is starting to get worried. You should talk to her - or let me take over.*

"Sorry, Samantha, I was talking to Lantash."

"He disapproves? Of kissing me, I mean?" Sam looked dejected.

Martouf's eyes flashed as Lantash took over. "No, my Samantha, not at all. Martouf was concerned we were, ah, in risk of taking this further than you might want."

"Oh...he thought I didn't want him to deepen the kiss?" Sam blushed. "He...um...doesn't have to worry about that. If we're going to pretend we're mates, we should be able to do more than give each other a quick peck, right?" She smiled, a little awkwardly, at him.

"Very true, we _absolutely_ should... Lantash murmured as he leaned in to capture her lips again.

Sam moaned softly and put her arms around him, as the kiss got longer and more passionate. Lantash's tongue pressed against her lips and she parted them, tangling her tongue with his. He groaned and slid a hand down to the small of her back, pulling her even closer. She felt his rapidly growing hardness between them, the robes not concealing much.

When they finally broke for air, Sam was feeling dizzy. She looked into Lantash's eyes, which were dark with desire. She was about to pull him in for another kiss, when a screech tore through the air, making them both jump.

"What _was_ that!" Sam whispered, looking around them.

They heard the sound again, very close by.

Lantash pointed towards a dark shadow that flew past and then dove for something on the ground, before disappearing. "An owl. I believe it must have just caught something."

Sam nodded. "I agree." Her heart was slowly returning to its normal rhythm, though most of the excitement had been from the kiss, and not from the slight scare. Somewhat embarrassed, she disentangled herself from Lantash's embrace. "We should go back to the hut. I think they said the breakfast was early again tomorrow, because they had another one of these damn rituals just after it, a long-ish one even, and one that had to be completed before noon."

Lantash sighed, unhappy they had been interrupted. "I believe that is correct." He looked at her, frowning. "Samantha...I realise the kiss got a little more, ah, _passionate_ than what was intended, but..."

Sam interrupted him, her cheeks reddening. She was very happy it was probably too dark for him to see that. "Yeah, no problem. We both got a little carried away."

"Samantha...I don't..."

"Please, no reason to talk about it, okay? Let's just get back and get some sleep." She started walking the rest of the way back to the hut, Lantash following, feeling dejected.

\-----  
Day 4.

Sam and Martouf/Lantash had joined the villagers for breakfast. Things had been somewhat awkward since they had kissed yesterday. Martouf and Lantash would very much like to talk about it, since it was obvious Sam felt _something_ for them, but she had not wanted to discuss it at all. They all still agreed on the plan, though, so Martouf would officially claim Sam as his mate today, probably as soon as they saw Wihnek.

A few minutes after they had taken the places reserved for them at the table, Wihnek appeared. He walked over to them, followed by the other members of the Council, as well as the head priest. Martouf and Sam rose immediately, and greeted them, whereupon Martouf addressed Wihnek.

"Wihnek, I would like to announce that I, Martouf, claims Samantha Carter as my mate." He took her hand and smiled at her.

She smiled back at him. "And I claim him."

Wihnek looked relieved. "Wonderful! The gods will be pleased, and will reward us all richly!" He turned to the others with him and quickly translated. They all looked pleased. The head priest then signalled the man standing at the gong - apparently there was always someone there.

When the reverberating sound had died down, the priest started talking to the attentive villagers. After a rather long speech, people cheered, and an embarrassed Sam and Martouf prepared to sit down. Wihnek stopped them, though, telling them that everyone wanted to see them kiss, as a good sign for the great fortune that would come to them all.

"With pleasure." Martouf said, smiling.

He pulled Sam into his embrace and kissed her, very thoroughly. People around them happily cheered them on, but Sam forgot all about them, as she returned the kiss with equal fervour. She look flustered - and a little ashamed at all the attention - when Martouf let go of her.

Wihnek again smiled happily at them, and then conferred with the rest of the Council, as well as the head priest. He turned to Sam and Martouf.

"It has been decided that the official ritual will take place tomorrow evening."

"What official ritual would that be?" Martouf asked, suspiciously.

"No surprise public sex, just 'cause? Right?" Sam demanded.

The head priest had signalled the gong attendant again and Wihnek held his hands up. "I apologize. It is time for the first ritual of the day. Trust us, it will not be anything unpleasant, and I _already_ assured you there would be no public sex."

Sam sighed, trying to reassure herself. It would almost certainly just be some sort of idiotic ritual to make the locals happy. Probably they had to wear special clothing and chant while pouring water on the ground or something like that. She relaxed and tried to focus on something else. Her stomach growled. She _really_ hoped this current ritual would be short, so they could get on with the breakfast.

\-----  
"Samantha?" Martouf called, seeing Sam sitting in the grass on the hill just behind their hut.

She turned to look at him, waving at him. "Hi, Martouf."

He walked over to her, sitting beside her. "I hope you do not mind the company?"

She shook her head. "No, of course not. I was just...thinking."

"About?" Martouf prodded, suspecting he was more than likely part of what she was pondering.

Sam sighed. "I guess there is no reason not to tell you. You, me... _us_? You already know some of my concerns. This...pretending to be mates. It's...it's _hard_. Confusing."

"Because you react to me, and you don't know if it is _you_ who are reacting, or some leftover part of Jolinar." Martouf concluded.

"That's some of it, yeah."

"Does it feel as if it is _you_ who has these emotions?"

"Yes, you know it does. I've told you."

He nodded. "Then...does it really matter how they started? What triggered them? Even if some of them are Jolinar's, they are yours now - whether they originally grew from her emotions or not."

"True enough, I guess, but that isn't all that's troubling me. You and Jolinar had a very happy, very long relationship. You loved each other very much. I haven't exactly had much success in that area, and I'm frankly worried it would be a disappointment - for all of us - if we had a relationship." She did not add what concerned her most - whether or not Martouf and Lantash felt anything for _her_ , Samantha, or if it was only for what she carried from Jolinar.

Martouf smiled at her, a little sadly. "No one can know something like that beforehand, but Lantash and I would very much like the chance to see if we could be happy together. We...would like that very much."

"Would you? Or is it like you said that day on the dunes? That you just want Jolinar back in your life, in some form - even if it is only what's in me," Sam said, a little harsher than she meant to.

Martouf looked taken aback, then sighed. "I suppose I can understand why you would be worried about that. I _did_ say that, then...and it was true then. In the beginning, that _was_ what drew us to you. However, we soon saw only you, Samantha, and realised what a wonderful person you are. While we will always love Jolinar and Rosha, our feelings now are for _you_."

Sam took a deep breath. "Thank you. That was something that had been really bugging me."

Martouf put a hand on her cheek, caressing it gently. He sighed. "Lantash points out that we have never asked you if there is someone else in your life. I apologize for not thinking about that, and just assuming..."

She shook her head. "No, not for a very long time. I was engaged, once, but I kinda wish I had never met him. He's dead now - died in an...an accident, off world. His name was Jonas Hanson, and he...well, he was on one of the other SG-teams, but we hadn't been together for a long time when he joined Stargate Command. I don't know...well, he had always been kinda controlling - and then, one mission he went on...he snapped, I guess - or he'd always had it in him. In any case, he ended up thinking he was a god, and he even attempted to work the entire population of a planet to death." She laughed bitterly. "In a way, I wasn't even surprised that he did. Doesn't exactly sound good, does it?"

"It was not your fault, Samantha." Martouf took her hand, entwining his fingers with hers.

"I know...I mean, he _really_ wasn't happy when I broke off our engagement, but I didn't think he'd snap." She thought about it. "I suppose he was always a bit crazy, so I do agree - it didn't have anything to do with me." She sighed. "He could be very charming...I was very...enamoured with him, I guess. Not sure how much he really wanted _me_ , though, or if it was just because he liked having someone worship him...especially someone like me, who had been too focused on her studies to be interested in men. I guess it must have made him feel like he was really something, since he could break down that wall I always kept around me. I don't know...he said he wanted to wait until we got married before having sex, and back then I just found it romantic, but afterwards...I just felt like I hadn't been attractive enough."

"If he didn't find you attractive, he would have had to be very crazy indeed, Samantha. You are _beautiful_."

"Thank you." She smiled at him. "Don't worry, it's not something that's bothering me anymore - I don't think he was worth the heart-ache I felt then, and I don't put any faith in his opinion anymore." She shook her head. "I went back to spending all my time on work again, I guess I'm a work-o-holic. Daniel teases me sometimes, but he shouldn't really talk - he's rarely away from the base either."

"Your work is important...but you should allow yourself to enjoy life, sometimes."

"I do enjoy myself. I _love_ my work."

"I cannot argue against that." Martouf smiled, then turned serious. "Have you never had...I do not know your word for it...a close friend whom you also share the bed with?"

"Um...eh, I think 'friends-with-benefits' would fit that, perhaps? Though from what I remember from Jolinar, it doesn't cover it completely. Never mind. No, I haven't." She shook her head. "Laugh all you want, but I'm over 30, and I'm a virgin."

"Why would I laugh at that?" Martouf looked uncomprehendingly at her. "I was merely concerned for your mental well being. Among the Tok'ra, a friend would have offered to help you, if you were in need of sexual relief. That none of your's have done so is reproachable, though I understand that your culture is different. Regardless, I will help you, if you will accept my offer."

Sam looked at him, shocked. "You're...you're offering to, ah, _sleep_ with me?"

"If I understand that euphemism correctly, then yes."

"Listen, eh, I mean...that's...that's very thoughtful of you." Sam did not know what to say. "But since you've already told me you're, ah, _interested_ in me, wouldn't that be a somewhat, um, suspicious offer?"

"Suspicious? Ah, I can see what you mean. Yes, I would...derive pleasure from it, of course." He sighed. "Many things are looked upon differently among the Tok'ra."

"Yes, I realise that, and our different cultures are something that concerns me...I mean, if I were to consider you as a, a mate." She frowned. "So, do you currently have, ah, a _friend_ that, um, share your bed from time to time?"

"No, though a few have offered themselves, we have not been interested."

"So you don't have a cute Tok'ra lover I should know about." Sam smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Given the differences in culture, I guess I should have checked that _you_ are unattached too!"

He bowed his head, giving control to Lantash. From where they sat they would be able to see anyone approaching long before those people could hear them, so it was relatively safe to let Lantash talk.

"Technically, I am _not_ unattached, as the former host of Jolinar still lives, and neither of us have denounced the relationship." Lantash smiled, his eyes sparkling.

" _What_!"

"Usually, the new host of a mate, also becomes mate to a Tok'ra, unless said Tok'ra cannot accept the new host." He grinned. "Do not be concerned, Samantha. The situation for you is very unusual, and no one is expecting you to follow this tradition."

"Good." Sam grinned a little, thinking about it. "I'd much rather make my own choices, thank you very much!"

"And what would that choice be?" Lantash wondered. "It is clear that you have feelings for us, and you _know_ we have for you as well."

Sam sobered. She had not expected him to be so direct. "I don't know. We don't know each other very well, not really. Perhaps we should...take it slow, and see if things develop? I don't feel confident jumping into any relationship just like this, regardless of how I may feel."

Lantash nodded. "We will give you the time you need, of course, but I assure you, our feelings will not change." He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, before getting up. "Someone is approaching. We should see what they want." He dipped his head, letting Martouf fore.

\-----  
Sam and Martouf/Lantash were sitting in their seats of honour again, waiting for Wihnek and the other important persons to arrive - as had been the case the other days as well. All around them people were talking and laughing. This was the middle of the celebration, and there would be even more delicacies, as well as wine and fruit juice for the evenings dinner. The aurora had taken on a greenish hue now, and that was reflected in the green robes everyone was wearing, tied with a yellow sash.

Wihnek came over to Sam and Martouf/Lantash, looking unhappy and apologetic. "Greetings, my friends."

"Greetings." Martouf returned, looking with concern at Wihnek.

"I fear I bear unpleasant tidings. There are some who fear your conviction, and that of your lovely mate. I trust you, of course, but I regret to inform you that there are some who doubt you will go through the necessary mating, and that we will thus risk much hardship in the coming year."

"Okay, what do you mean by that? You guys are _seriously_ trying our patience!" Sam exclaimed.

"I must agree with Samantha. We have agreed to _everything_ you have asked of us. What more do you want?" He looked exasperated.

"You must prove your sincerity, of course. There cannot be any doubt about something as important as this! If you are lying, the gods will know. They will be furious!"

"You promised us there would be no public sex!" Sam said.

"We will not perform for you," Martouf sounded angry. "You will _not_ humiliate my Samantha like that!"

"Of course not. What we require is nothing like that. The priests will merely inspect the bed sheets for, ah, proof that a mating has taken place."

"You will look for semen and other fluids?" Martouf sounded appalled.

"That's just degrading!" Sam exclaimed. "Not only don't you trust us, but you're going to poke around in any spots on the bed sheet, and then decide if you think we came enough? You're disgusting, and I'm _not_ going to agree to that!"

"Martouf, please talk to her..." Wihnek begged.

"No, Samantha said she didn't want you to do this, so it is not happening."

Wihnek looked devastated, and turned to the priests and the other members of the Council. They talked for a long period of time, then Wihnek turned back to Martouf and Sam, while one of the priests hurried away.

"There is another possibility. If you agree to that, then the gods will not be angry...and do not be concerned, it is _not_ public sex." Wihnek quickly reassured them, knowing how strongly they apparently felt about that.

"We will need to know what it is, before agreeing to anything," Martouf pointed out, not prepared to concede anything.

The priest who had left a moment ago returned, an old woman following him. She smiled at them all, and generally looked like a very friendly person.

"This is Khoanna. She is a seeress, and among other things, she is gifted with the ability to tell if someone is sincere. If you let her feel your soul, she can tell us if you speak the truth."

Martouf looked at Sam. "How do you feel about this?"

"Why not?" She shrugged, then leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I doubt she's for real, but if she says we're speaking the truth, we'll be good - and otherwise we're no worse off than before."

Martouf nodded. "True." He turned to Wihnek. "We accept."

\-----  
Sam and Martouf were told to kneel in front of Khoanna, who was now sitting in a chair. She took each of them in the hand, then sat silently for some minutes, closing her eyes and concentrating. She began speaking in a low voice, and the priests listened attentively.

Suddenly, it was as if she froze, and she opened her eyes, staring at Martouf as if in shock. She talked quickly to the priests, and they looked at Martouf with alarm.

*I suspect she is a telepath - and that she now knows of me.* Lantash sounded very concerned. *I believe I can sense her presence in our minds.*

*I agree, and I can sense her as well. It is like a faint whisper, one that I can _almost_ hear.*

Sam and Martouf looked at each other, worried, as Khoanna kept holding their hands - and kept talking. The priests asked her several more questions, and she answered, then was quiet for some time before she spoke again. Finally, she nodded, looking relaxed, and no longer concerned. She let go of Martouf and Sam's hands, and smiled at them, then bowed her head briefly, respectfully, to Martouf.

Wihnek had been standing nearby, listening, and he now came to translate.

"I will explain what was said, for your sake, Samantha. I believe Martouf - or _Lantash_ at the very least - understands what was said."

Sam looked at Martouf, who frowned. "No, he does not." He sighed, then dipped his head as Lantash took control.

"So you know of me," Lantash said. "Khoanna is...truly gifted."

"My lord, it has been so long since any of you walked among us. We apologize deeply for not recognizing you for what you are." Wihnek kneeled, as did the rest of the villagers present.

Lantash looked less than pleased, and considered what to do. He decided on a strategy. "I am not one of the gods of your world. While I am of the same... _race_ , I do not share their ideology. You must not apologize for not discovering me, as I was purposely hiding. Please, I do not wish for worship."

Wihnek nodded, but did not get up from his kneeling position yet. "We are deeply honoured by your presence, and Khoanna _did_ mention that your heart is much different from our gods. You do not have their harsh cruelty, but are instead a god of good." He got up as he translated for the others who slowly rose as well, still very much in awe.

"So, you won't be asking for any proof of mating anymore, right?" Sam wanted to know.

"Of course not. We would never accuse a god of lying!" Wihnek smiled, looking very pleased. "Khoanna told me; you are true mates, and love each other deeply. You have a _bond_ and are meant to be together, so we are most fortunate indeed. Such a mating - and with a god as one of the participants - will assure us the best harvest in known history! Tomorrow, the ritual will be completed. Today, we will party and celebrate. Please, enjoy the food and drink!"

\-----  
"Well, some good came of them finding out about you, Lantash - you don't need to remain hidden, but can take control some of the time. It's... _nice_. I like having you both around." Sam smiled at him.

"Very true, though I could do without the reverence they now regard me with." He sighed, then smiled at Sam. "Do you wish for more food? Drink?"

"No, I'm quite full, and if I drink any more alcohol, I fear I won't be able to walk straight!" She giggled. "It's been a fun evening, though."

"Fear not, I promise I shall carry you if you have trouble walking!" Lantash took her hand and winked at her, then pulled the hand to his mouth and kissed it. "Would you agree to a dance? Many of the others are dancing, and while neither Martouf nor I will claim any great proficiency in this sport, I do think it would be a pleasant diversion."

"Lantash! You're drunk!" Sam laughed. "Yes, I'll dance with you, and don't look so insulted. I'm sure you decided to get drunk on purpose!" She rose, pulling him after her.

"Perhaps...though I must admit these beverages are quite...intoxicating - or perhaps it is you." He leaned in and gave her a kiss.

"You're such a charmer!" She smiled. "Come - the next dance is starting. I think I've watched it long enough to be able to follow the steps!"

\-----  
Day 5.

Sam yawned and stretched, then opened her eyes to the soft light that filtered through the curtains. Beside her, Martouf and/or Lantash were waking up as well. They had gotten back fairly late yesterday, and been more than a little drunk. She evaluated the light - it seemed much too strong for morning light, even here. She more than suspected they had overslept, and it was well past breakfast - closer to noon, actually. She still felt a bit groggy, and her head hurt, despite having slept as much as she had.

Regardless of that, she smiled as she looked at a sleepy Martouf/Lantash, who yawned mightily. It was strange - but nice - waking up in a bed beside him, as she had done every morning for four days now. They had not done anything but sleep in the bed, though, but Sam had to admit she had been very tempted several times.

She heard the distant sound of the noon gong, signalling the noon meal would begin in about a quarter of an hour. Her stomach felt a little queasy, no doubt after the amount of alcohol she had imbibed the day before. She did feel hungry, though, and not wanting to miss this meal as well, she sat up and threw the blanket aside.

"Good morning, Samantha." Martouf smiled, looking at her and clearly enjoying the view. Her short nightgown had slid up, meaning very little of her was covered.

Annoyed with herself, Sam felt her cheeks redden. "Good morning, Martouf. I just heard the signal for midday meal, so we should probably hurry unless we wanna miss that too."

"Midday meal? We have slept until noon?" Martouf sounded surprised. "We should probably not have consumed so much alcohol - it must be worse for you, though, Samantha." He looked at her with concern.

"My head hurts a little," Sam admitted. "But it's not too bad. What about you? I seem to remember you having a lot more to drink than me - enough that you got pretty drunk." She smiled at the memory.

Martouf nodded. "Very true, both Lantash and I got drunk. However, it was not so much that Lantash has not been able to completely restore our systems, so despite being a little tired, we are well."

"I'm envious!" Sam groaned a little, as she rose and staggered over to pick up her clothing.

\-----  
It turned out the healers of this world had a - fairly bitter - drug that took care of Sam's hangover. She had to drink almost a half glass of the unpleasant potion, but literally moments later she felt completely well. This was the second fantastic drug they had found here, the first being the ointment that fixed her sprained ankle. Perhaps visiting this place was worth it, after all!

It was no more than a few hours after they had eaten lunch, when a group of women came to get Sam. One of them spoke a very little standard, and from what Sam understood, they were to prepare her for the evenings fertility ritual. Another group came to get Martouf/Lantash, and they followed politely.

After a long soak in the hot springs, Sam dried off and put on a lotion she was given. It felt nice, as her skin was a little dry after being in the water for so long. The group of women that had followed her to the bath - and bathed with her - then helped her dress.

The clothes they wanted her to wear were quite a bit more elaborate and decorated than what she had worn the other days. Since everyone else seemed to wear simple robes similar to what she had worn the day before - just in yellow, this time - Sam concluded that her dress must be special because she was part of the 'chosen' pair, and would be taking part in their fertility ritual.

The clothes somewhat resembled traditional Indian clothing, Sam thought. Wrapped around her, she wore a long skirt, which reached all the way to her feet. It was made out of several layers of red, gold-embroidered silk cloth. She had on a matching red with gold top, which almost covered her stomach. Her arms were bare, and the women had put several bracelets on each of her arms. That was not the only jewelry she wore - she also had on a broad necklace, a pair of relatively large, but matching earrings, ankle bracelets, and a tiara-like piece of jewelry sat on her head. On her feet she wore a pair of soft, brown leather sandals, which were the only piece of clothing which seemed reasonably normal to Sam.

Frankly, she felt a bit ridiculous, and it did not get better, when the women insisted that she wear a thin, see-through red silk veil, heavily gold-embroidered, over her hair and shoulders. She sighed and let them put it on, then looked at herself in the mirror, thinking back to the clothes they made her wear when SG-1 visited the Shavadai on Simarka. Well, at least the Colonel and Daniel were not here to make fun of her this time - and no one had a camera! She felt somewhat better at those thoughts.

Outside, Martouf/Lantash were waiting for her, surrounded by a group of villagers who were excitedly chattering about something in their own language. Sam smiled at Martouf/Lantash and appraised their appearance.

They were wearing a shirt made out of cloth that matched her dress, though the pants were black. Over the shirt, they wore a vest, which had the colours switched - instead of being red with gold, it was almost entirely gold, interspersed with some red. They did not wear sandals, but a kind of slippers-like shoes, made of cloth resembling the shirt. Unlike Sam, they wore no jewelry.

"Hello, Samantha." Martouf smiled at her. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks. It's...certainly...ah, _unusual_." She touched the skirt, then shrugged. "But I guess this is considered normal here...at least for our roles?"

Martouf nodded. "If I understood correctly - which is by no means certain, as the person explaining it to me spoke very bad standard - we are dressed this way in order to resemble the original 'god and goddess' who ruled this world." He sighed. "Which it seems likely we do. My clothing, at least, is more Goa'uld than either Lantash or I care for."

"Perhaps, but I must admit it looks good on you." Sam winked at him.

"Then we will be happy to wear it." He smiled.

\-----  
Sam and Martouf/Lantash had been shown to seats of honour - and this time their chairs were actually fashioned like thrones. They were seated at the centre of the large, u-shaped table, with the priests and priestesses to their left, and the council members to their right. No one sat along the inner part of the table, since that made it easier for those bringing in food and drink to serve everyone without getting in the way.

Everyone at the other tables smiled and greeted them before sitting down in their seats, and Sam was fast beginning to feel very uncomfortable with this. She threw a glance at Martouf, who was either unaffected by it all or hiding it well. She guessed he would be used to situations such as this, from whenever they had to pretend to be a Goa'uld - though it was of course Lantash who was in control in situations such as that.

Finally, everyone was seated, and a young woman came up to Sam and Martouf and filled their glasses. They each had a large glass and a small glass, and she filled the large ones with a sparkling wine, and the small ones with what looked like a kind of fruit juice. She and other servants then poured sparkling wine for everyone else. Two children came up and stood behind Sam and Martouf, just as the head priest rose, with a satisfied smile on his face. Wihnek got up as well, ready to translate when and if it was needed.

The priest spoke at length, now and then pausing to allow the gong to be struck. Each time it sounded, the children would throw leaves and flower petals over Sam and Martouf/Lantash.

Eventually, the priest paused to allow Wihnek to speak.

"I apologize, but I will only have time for a short version, as this part of the ritual must be completed before sundown."

"We understand." Martouf said, and Sam just nodded, a long-suffering expression on her face.

This explained why dinner was earlier today - the other days it had not started until just after sunset, when the aurora had become visible.

"Good. The leaves and flowers symbolize the land and the fields, and the ritual assures your mating tonight will bring fertility to our land. You will now each drink one glass of juice from the kama-fruit."

Sam and Martouf looked at each other, then shrugged and picked up the small glasses and emptied them of the juice. The woman from before immediately refilled them.

"Hm, not bad." Sam smiled. "Tastes pretty good, actually, though maybe a bit sweet."

*Martouf...this beverage is a light aphrodisiac!* Lantash observed, slightly alarmed.

*Can you block the effects? I do not wish to lose control and suddenly, ah, _ravish_ Samantha!*

*Do not be concerned. I can negate the effect of it without problems.*

*Good, though we should probably warn Samantha.*

*I do not believe it will be necessary, unless we are served much more of it. The effects are really very mild, and even a human will only have a light reaction. She will have filtered it out completely before this dinner is over. Besides, if we told her, she would get angry at the locals and refuse to continue with this ritual, and I fear their reaction - and perhaps punishment - if we do so.*

*They think you're a god, surely they would not dare harm you?*

*Not me, no, but perhaps Samantha. Besides, if things turns out differently and we are for some reason forced to, ah, actually carry out a mating with Samantha, then the aphrodisiacs may help her through it, if the people here suddenly decide they do not believe us and insist on a public coupling. I _really_ do not trust them.*

*Surely they would not do that?* Martouf sounded outraged. *Very well, we will not inform Samantha.* He sighed.

While they had been talking, the priest had spoken for a short time, mentioning both Sam and Martouf. Wihnek now turned to them.

"Please, Samantha, take your glass and let Martouf drink from it, about half the content."

Sam held the glass out to Martouf, and he did as he was told. Then Wihnek said Martouf should let Sam drink of his glass.

Afterwards, the priest spoke again, and this time Sam and Lantash were mentioned. As expected, Wihnek told Sam to let Lantash drink the other half of the juice in her glass, and then Lantash gave Sam the remaining half glass of his fruit juice.

Wihnek smiled happily, and so did the head priest, who spoke for a short while longer, before clapping three times. The man standing at the gong answered with three strokes of the instrument, and when the tones had died out, the priest placed matching necklaces on both Sam and Martouf/Lantash. He motioned at the man standing by the gong, and the instrument rang once more. Then everyone cheered, and drank the wine. Sam and Lantash quickly followed suit and drank as well.

"It is time for food and drink." Wihnek told them, as plates of food and jugs of sweet wine were being placed on the tables. Two pitchers full of fruit juice were placed in front of Sam and Martouf/Lantash. "You must drink this juice in order to guarantee the successful completion of the ritual. Please, enjoy!"

"Is that the same beverage as the one we were given before?" Lantash asked, suspiciously.

"No, this is a mixture of the juices of several different fruits and berries, though kama fruit is one of them."

"I see." Lantash sighed. Well, that was to be expected, if the people here wanted to make sure a mating did indeed take place. Hopefully, he would be able to talk discreetly with Samantha and warn her about it, or perhaps the effects would not be significant, if the kama fruit was mixed with something else.

\-----  
Wihnek had alternated between telling them about the various kinds of food stuffs, and repeatedly telling them about the importance of this ritual in relation to the future harvest, how grateful they all were for Sam and Martouf/Lantash's presence, and how honoured they were because of Lantash being there. He had gone on and on about it for a very long time, and Lantash had kept a worried eye on Samantha's pitcher of fruit juice. He and Martouf had to drink some of it, of course, as Wihnek kept reminding them, but Sam seemed to really like the stuff and had drunk more than half of it already. Between that and a couple glasses of the wine, she was beginning to look flustered, and she was giving him looks that made it very obvious what she was thinking about.

Finally, Wihnek moved his attention elsewhere, and Lantash turned towards Sam, speaking in a low voice.

"Samantha..."

"Yes, Lantash?" She giggled and put her hand on his thigh. "Sweetie..."

"You should perhaps, ah, not drink so much of the fruit juice." He glanced quickly towards Wihnek. "And please keep your voice down."

"Why?" She frowned, then lowered her voice. "It tastes good to me." She whispered into his ear, then giggled again and placed a wet kiss there.

"It has...side effects."

"What side effects would that be?" She kissed his ear again, then sucked his earlobe into her mouth, while, hidden under the table, her hand slowly slid from his thigh to touch his manhood. She squeezed it gently through the material of his pants.

Lantash gasped and closed his eyes for a moment, swallowing. He opened them again and looked at her. " _Samantha_! Please, you know how I feel about you. I beg you, do not tease me." He took a deep breath. " _That_ is the side effect. The juice is making you, ah, _libidinous_."

Sam massaged his rapidly hardening member for a moment longer, her other hand straying to his neck, finding the spot where her memories from Jolinar told her Lantash could be pleasured most directly. Then her mind suddenly seemed to grasp what he was saying and she pulled her hands away. "They _drugged_ me? Why only me? Did you know about it? Did you agree to this? To get to fuck me?" Her voice was rising and Lantash looked nervously at Wihnek who had clearly heard.

"Samantha! No! I would _never_ drug you!" He looked hurt. "How can you think so little of me? I _love_ you and, and I do desire you very much, but I would _never_ try to make you mine through less than honest means. As for why the drug is not affecting me and Martouf? It is because I am able to filter it out."

Sam calmed down, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry. Of course you would never do something like that. I know that." She smiled at him. "I do trust you, both of you." She leaned towards him again, putting an arm around him.

"Good. Thank you." Lantash looked very relieved. He held Sam close while he gave Wihnek a stern look, and the man quickly looked in the other direction.

Sam kissed Lantash quickly on the neck, then sat up again, looking a little embarrassed. Emboldened, Lantash leaned over and gave her a kiss, then gave Martouf control. He looked up, a little shyly, and smiled his most charming smile, which always made Sam's heart beat faster.

She sighed deeply, then forced herself to focus on her food, trying to think of something other than the burning desire she felt for the Tok'ra beside her. To be honest, she wanted nothing more than to kiss him until they were both breathless, then rip the clothes off him and have her way with him. She moaned softly to herself and silently cursed the people of this planet and their fruit juice. She decided she would only drink wine the rest of the evening. Fortunately, it was not very strong.

Wihnek seemed unhappy that he could not make their guests drink any more of the fruit juice, and after talking to the head priest and a couple of the other Council members, one of them went to talk to the people currently preparing the dessert.

\-----  
"This is the last course. This pie is eaten only this one day of the year, and everyone loves it and looks forward to it. Since you are our honoured guests, we have prepared a special sauce for it, just for you. This sauce is almost never made because one of the ingredients is difficult and time consuming to make."

"And what is this 'special ingredient'?" Martouf asked, suddenly getting suspicious. "Something meant to drug us?"

"Do not worry, it is not kama fruit." Wihnek smiled. "It is called 'nectar of the gods', and the recipe stems from when our gods lived on this world. No doubt you know of it. We have added a small amount to the sauce, and since you are a god...or host to a god, we have also prepared a small drink for you, containing only the nectar."

*Any idea what that is?* Martouf enquired.

*None whatsoever.* Lantash sighed mentally. *Hopefully just some delicacy the Goa'uld here liked, and which the locals now hope will placate us, after their attempt at drugging us. In any case, it is probably best not to enquire further. Since they think I am a god, I would probably be expected to know what it is.*

"Well, I think it looks delicious." Sam smiled at him, then licked her lips. *Not as delicious as you do, though...* She thought.

"Please, enjoy! When you have eaten your dessert, it will be time for the last part of the ritual, which you will perform in private, in your hut." Wihnek said.

Sam scarfed down her piece of pie, with a fairly large helping of sauce on it. "It tastes great!" She told Martouf.

Martouf shrugged and poured sauce on his slice of pie also, and ate it. He had to admit it was tasty, though perhaps a little too sweet for his taste. He washed it down with the glass of 'nectar'. It was surprisingly refreshing - and more delicious than almost anything he had tasted before. Lantash agreed, then almost immediately swore to himself.

*What is it?* Martouf wondered. Then he knew.

*This...is also an aphrodisiac...though not a mild one. Nor can I negate its effects.* Lantash 'gasped'. *But I think you...you've already realised. It's...affecting...both of us.*

Martouf groaned, and looked at Sam through a haze of lust. He would kill Wihnek for this, and possibly the rest of the Council, and those damn priests as well. But not now. _Now_ , he wanted, _needed_ to be with Samantha. He was about to reach for her when several villagers swarmed them and helped them up, then began leading them to their hut.

\-----  
The door had barely closed behind them, before Martouf grabbed Sam and pushed her up against the wall beside them, kissing her desperately. Sam threw her arms around him and returned the kisses with equal passion, pressing, rubbing, against his hard erection.

He pulled off her veil, throwing it over his shoulder, then slipped a hand under her top, cupping her right breast and massaging it through the bra. He rubbed the nipple, until it was a hard point, then repeated the treatment on the other breast. Wanting more direct access, he tore at the buttons and got the top open, by sheer luck without ripping the garment.

He pulled at her bra, slipping a finger under the band and trying to get it off her. Sam impatiently unclasped it and let it fall, allowing Martouf full access to her breasts. He admired her for several moments, before he filled his hands with her breasts, kneading them, a little rougher than he usually would. Sam merely moaned and leaned back against the wall. She closed her eyes, as Martouf began licking and sucking at one of her nipples, flicking the hard point with his tongue. He continued, until he was satisfied it was as hard as it would get, then did the same to the other nipple.

He was about to return to the first, when Sam pulled him up for a kiss, pushing her tongue against his lips. He groaned deeply and allowed her entrance, and she tangled her tongue with his, moaning into his mouth.

She pulled at his clothing, and Martouf shrugged off the vest, letting it fall to the floor, forgotten. He unbuttoned his shirt enough that he could tear it off, then pressed himself against Sam, again covering her lips with his. She ran a hand through his hair, tangling her fingers in it and pulling him even closer. As they kissed, her hand slowly slid lower, and she caressed his neck. Suddenly feeling a movement there, she immediately knew it was Lantash she felt under the skin, knew how he had liked Jolinar to touch him.

Sam allowed the memory from Jolinar to guide her, finding the exact places she could best touch him, putting on just the right amount of pressure as she pleasured him. Martouf gasped as the sensation Lantash experienced was immediately shared, as everything in these kinds of encounters always were between host and symbiote. He gave control to Lantash, and his eyes flashed as he came fore.

"Please, Samantha...we are too... close to losing control...as it is. We do not...want your first time to be...to be painful." He swallowed and clenched his fists hard. "We will not be able to...take it slow...if..."

Sam interrupted any further comments from him by grabbing hold of him and moving them around, then pushing him against the wall. He groaned and looked at her, his gaze clouding with lust as she put one hand between his legs and started fondling his already painfully hard shaft, while returning her other hand to his neck, pleasuring him there as well.

She looked at him, her eyes dark with desire. "I didn't say I wanted it slow." She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to concentrate. "This...damned drug...it's driving me crazy. I can't _think_ clearly....I just know I want you. Badly.... _right now_!" She pressed herself against him, as she kissed him hard.

" _That_...can be arranged," Lantash said hoarsely, as he picked up Sam and carried her to the bed, quickly pulling off the blanket before putting her down.

She looked at Lantash, as he ripped off the rest of his clothing, clearly admiring him. "Mmm, _very_ nice..." She said, licking her lips, as she looked him over from head to toe.

He was thin, but seemed naturally strong. He was very well endowed, which, given that she was a virgin, was something which might otherwise have concerned her, had she not been so aroused. As it was, she wanted to feel him inside her so badly she could barely think. She looked longingly at his very hard shaft, as she kicked off her sandals and hurriedly began trying to get out of the somewhat cumbersome skirt.

Naked, Lantash joined her on the bed, and helped her get her skirt and underwear out of the way. "You are _beautiful_ , Samantha," He said, as he reached for her. "I love you." He kissed her deeply and pushed her down on the bed, before she had a chance to reply to this.

She hugged him to her, wrapping her legs around him and rubbing herself against him, shamelessly. Lantash trailed kisses, licks, and nips down her neck to her shoulder, then further down to her breasts, laving the nipples one at a time. Sam moaned and arched her back. She rolled her hips as Lantash slowly moved lower, scattering kisses over her stomach, then finally reaching his goal. He used his fingers to spread her labia, then made a long slow lick from her opening to her clit, repeating it a few times before he focused his attention on the sensitive nub. Flicking his tongue over it quickly, he made Sam moan deeper and thrust against him.

Lantash very much wanted to make her come before he thrust inside her, but the aphrodisiac was working very strongly on both him and Martouf, and their desire was spiralling out of control. Their shaft was so hard it hurt, and Martouf was begging him to mate with Samantha, _now_. The soft moans and whimpers from Sam was not making it easier, and when she reached down and began caressing his head and tugging on his hair, Lantash almost lost control. He rubbed himself against the bed, trying to relieve some of the pressure, but it did not help. The only thing that would help right now would be for him to bury his aching manhood deep inside her.

He sucked gently on Sam's clit, then returned to licking it, increasing his speed and pressure. Sam gasped, and tugged harder on his hair as she pushed herself against him, very close to coming, but needing just a little more stimulation. "Oh, Lantash, Martouf...please...more..." She moaned deeply. "I...I need you, need you so very badly. Please, _fuck_ me...I..." She begged, whimpering a little.

Lantash groaned and lost the battle for control. He spread her folds and pushed his shaft inside her, thrusting hard, as he lay down on her and took her mouth in a heated kiss. Sam made a soft yelp into his mouth, but the pain was light and quickly faded. Using what little willpower he had left, Lantash held as still as he could, letting Sam get used to his size and the feeling of him inside her.

Sam was much too aroused for the small amount of pain to make her want to wait, or for it to have much of any effect on her lust. She pushed up against him, wriggling under him, and Lantash started moving, thrusting slowly into her. She was incredibly tight and so very wet. He moaned deeply and closed his eyes, trying desperately not to give and take her as hard and fast as he wanted. He knew he would not last long if he did. Sam made little noises under him, and arched up against him, rubbing against him every time. He realised it would not take much to push her over, and he gave in, thrusting deeper, faster.

He soon pounded into her, oblivious to everything else but the pleasure of feeling Sam under him, around him, enveloping his shaft in soft, wet tightness. Sam moved in time with him, meeting each of his thrusts.  
Suddenly, she bucked against him, her body tightening under him as she came hard, moaning his name and Martouf's. Lantash made a hoarse sound as Sam's pussy squeezed his cock, and his eyes flared from the intensity of his emotions. He plunged into her a few more times before he rammed his shaft deep inside her, spilling his seed as a half-strangled cry escaped him. He collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily.

After a few moments he gave her a kiss and summoned the strength to roll off her, grab a blanket and pull Sam close to him. She was almost asleep already, and snuggled up to him, making a small, satisfied sound.

\-----  
They had slept maybe an hour, when Martouf awoke. He felt Sam's warm, naked body beside him, and immediately remembered what they had done earlier in the night. He felt a strong stab of desire and realised he was already so hard his shaft was aching. He felt as if a fire was burning in his blood, and the only thing that could quench it was Samantha.

He moaned softly when it became clear to him that the aphrodisiac was still affecting him and Lantash almost as strongly as it had when they made Samantha theirs the first time. He wondered fleetingly how long the drug would take to be broken down, when Sam made a sound in her sleep and turned over on her side, pushing her ass against his erection.

He gasped and forgot about anything but his overpowering need to be inside her. He kissed her neck and put his left arm around her, pulling her even closer. He found one of her breasts and began fondling it, rubbing the nipple which quickly became a hard point under his fingers. Sam moaned in her sleep and pushed back against him again, and he moved his hand lower, finding her clit.

Sam moaned deeper as he stroked the sensitive spot. Martouf faintly registered that Lantash was waking up now, and soon the symbiote was urging him on as well, telling him to mate with Samantha, now, or _he_ would take over and do so. They were in pain, and Sam was whimpering too. Why did he not _do_ something about it?

Martouf groaned and pushed Sam over onto her stomach, entering her swiftly from behind. She gasped as she woke up, then moaned as Martouf thrust into her again.

"Oh...god, yes..." Sam got out, her voice heavy with need. " _Fuck_ me, fuck me hard..." She pushed back against him as he pounded into her again.

He kept his hand under her, stimulating her clit as he rammed into her. As aroused as they were, it did not take long before they were close to coming. Martouf plunged into her one more time, then cried out as he came. Sam rubbed herself against his fingers, still pressed hard against her nub, and she soon joined him in orgasm, moaning and shuddering under him.

Martouf kissed her neck and crawled off her, afraid he was squeezing her. "My sweet, _wonderful_ Samantha..." He snuggled up to her as she rolled over on her side, looking sleepily at him in the semi-darkness. The room was only lighted by the moon shining through the thin curtains, but it was light enough that he could make out her smile.

"That...aphrodisiac's sure some powerful...stuff..." Sam grinned, still a little out of breath from the intensity of her climax. "And together with the alcohol? _Wow_!" She smiled, a little embarrassed.

"Yes, that combination does seem to make for a strong drug. However, you would be intoxicating to us without any of it," Martouf said, somberly. He kissed her. "I love you."

"Um...thanks..." Sam did not know what to say. "Listen, eh, perhaps we should get some sleep before we're, ah, you know, overwhelmed by, ah, lust, I guess..."

Martouf nodded. "Very true. We should." He gave her another kiss before he sighed and lay down to sleep, snuggling against her.

They soon drifted off to sleep all three.

They ended up making love several more times that night, before the effect of the aphrodisiac finally diminished to a point where they could sleep for more than an hour at a time.


	3. Mates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a night of hot love-making, Sam and Martouf/Lantash discover the meaning of one of the alien rituals they participated in the evening before; they are now married. After the first surprise and anger is gone, they begin to think about the possibilities, and soon have to admit the prospect of being mates is very attractive.

Day 6.

It was almost noon when they woke up. Remembering what had happened the night before - and how wanton she had been - Sam felt very embarrassed. She threw a quick look at Martouf who was slowly waking up...or maybe it was Lantash, she was still not quite able to tell who was in control, though she had become better at it. She felt her heart beat faster. He was very attractive, and she had to admit their lovemaking had been wonderful...and very passionate. She also realised her already very strong feelings for him were growing even stronger, and she no longer really cared that they had probably originated in Jolinar's emotions. They were _her_ feelings now, right?

Sam sighed. She did not feel like facing Martouf and Lantash right now. What if they had only felt lust for her? No, that did not sound right - that was not how either of them were. They would not have taken advantage of her if that was the case. Though...the aphrodisiac had probably made them do something they would not otherwise have. What if they regretted what had happened?

Regardless, she felt awkward and would rather not talk to them right now. She quickly slid out of bed and hurried to the small bathroom.

"Samantha?" Martouf called after her, sounding sleepy - and unsure.

Sam shut the door after her, then leaned against it and closed her eyes. She knew she had to talk to him soon. She just needed a few moments to collect her thoughts first.

After relieving herself she took a quick bath in the small pool. All buildings had a bath that was fed by the water from the hot springs, and Sam was very happy about that fact right now.

\-----  
She left the bathroom wrapped in a clean - but only barely large enough - towel, and smiled a little shyly at Martouf who was half-sitting in the bed. He gave her one of his most charming smiles, and clearly ogled her. He quickly jumped out of bed and caught her in his arms, kissing her. "My beautiful Samantha." Unable not to, Sam gave in and returned his kisses, but he sensed something was wrong. He looked questioningly at her. "Samantha?"

"Ah, we...um, need to talk, I think."

Martouf nodded slowly. "We do. I need to use the facilities, and I think I will take a very quick bath also, but I will join you shortly."

"Okay."

\-----  
Sam had only just finished drying off and dressing, and was standing, looking out the window, when Martouf/Lantash came out from the bathroom. She turned to look at him. He was only wearing a small towel, wrapped around his waist, giving her a clear view of most of his body. Most of his hot, sexy body...

She forcefully pushed those thoughts away. She needed a clear head for this. "Martouf."

He went to the bed and sat down on it, patting the spot beside him. "Come, sit here with me, Samantha."

"Okay." She sat down beside him, wincing a little as she did so.

Martouf frowned. "You are sore?" He looked bashful. "I apologize for...ravishing you. It was your first time, we should..."

Sam interrupted him, "Martouf. No need to apologize. It wasn't exactly your fault. It was those damn meddling priests and what not! If the aphrodisiac had an effect on you that was even close to what it had on me, then there was _nothing_ you could have done." She looked down. "Besides...I wouldn't say you ravished me..." She looked at him, blushing. "It wasn't as if I was unwilling, and, um, I seem to remember that I was actually urging you on, so..."

Martouf looked relieved. "Then you are not angry at us?"

She shook her head. "No. No, not at all. It was...wonderful, actually...I enjoyed it. A lot." She gazed into his eyes, then down. "Did you mean it? What you said...about loving me?"

"Yes, of course." He looked confused. "Lantash and I both love you. We have told you so before, yesterday, during the evening meal. Did you not believe us?" He looked hurt.

Sam swallowed. "I...I wasn't sure you meant it...that perhaps it was, ah, just lust and the effect of the drug that made you say so last night...and yesterday, during dinner...well, I was more than a little affected by both the alcohol and the drug, so...I thought perhaps I had imagined it. It...was something I had dreamt about hearing you say for a _long_ time, so I dared not really believe it."

Martouf took both her hands in his and squeezed them. "Believe it. We love you very much." He bowed his head, giving Lantash control.

"Both of us do, if you have any doubt, which you should not." He looked at her with a guarded expression. "Now you know our feelings, but you have only told us you can feel Jolinar's emotions, but that you are not sure if you are willing to accept them as your own and that you are not sure what, if anything, you feel for us yourself. At least, that seemed to be what you told us two days ago?"

Sam sighed. It was time for her to tell him, "You're right, and I'm not playing fair." She smiled bleakly, feeling ashamed she had obviously caused him pain by behaving this way. "Yes, Jolinar's feelings confuse me, and I doubt if I will ever be able to tell which feelings are her's and which are mine...however, that very fact should have made me realise it doesn't matter. Those emotions are _mine_ now, regardless of what originally prompted them...and I do believe some of them are my own. I'm _sure_ some of them are. It doesn't matter. I _do_ love you, both of you...and I'm not sorry we made love. Not at all."

Lantash smiled, looking very relieved. "Thank you, Samantha! I must admit, that despite the interference from the people of this world, what happened last night pleased me greatly...I would have preferred if we had been allowed to decide on our own, but I am not sorry about the result. It might have taken a long time yet for us to admit our feelings for each other, had we not been forced into this situation."

Sam nodded slowly. "I suppose you're right. I guess, in a way, we should be grateful to the people of this planet for making us get together." She smiled, then looked stern again. "Doesn't mean I'm not still angry at them!"

"As am I, though knowing that you love me overshadows my anger." He entwined his fingers with hers, and leaned in to capture her lips with his. " _My_ Samantha..." He murmured as he kissed her, slowly and very thoroughly.

Sam closed her eyes and returned his kiss, moving her lips against his. She made a small sound as she parted her lips for his tongue and allowed the kiss to deepen. Lantash embraced her and pulled her into his lap. His hands roamed over her back, touching her, fondling her, everywhere. Sam slid a hand to his neck, and began caressing him. He made a hoarse sound and slipped a hand under her clothes, beginning to take it off her, when he suddenly stopped and pulled back, breathing heavily.

She made a disappointed sound and looked at him. "Lantash?"

He controlled himself with some difficulty, then met her gaze. "You...are still sore. I do not wish to cause you further discomfort. I will sleep on the floor tonight, since it is obvious my control is tenuous at best - even _without_ any drugs."

"You don't have to do that, please, I...I want you."

He smiled at her. "Oh, do not worry. You shall have me! I do intend to mate with you again, soon, but I think it would be best if we waited until tomorrow." He gave her a soft kiss, then sighed. "I believe we will be in time - or only slightly late - for noon meal, if we hurry."

Sam looked as if she was about to argue, but her stomach growled, and she finally nodded, getting up. "Okay, but sleeping-arrangements for tonight are not settled yet!"

\-----  
Wihnek had not been there for the noon meal, since he and the rest of the Council was needed for some sort of ritual or preparation for a ritual. At least as far as they could understand, because the woman who had explained it to them - and apologized profusely for Wihnek's absence - only spoke very little standard. This also meant Sam and Martouf/Lantash did not get a chance to complain about being given aphrodisiacs the day before. Instead, they resigned themselves to wait and sat down at the table to eat from the many delicious dishes.

While there was not as big a menu as there had been for the evening meal, it was still very good, and they soon felt full - and much more friendly towards the locals. The people here _had,_ after all, only done what they thought they had to, in order to avoid starvation. If anyone was to blame, it was the Goa'uld who had originally kidnapped their ancestors, taken them here, and started all of this.

The villagers observed Sam and Martouf/Lantash, and saw that they seemed to be completely absorbed in each other, smiling and laughing amongst themselves, as well as sharing kisses and touches now and then. Everyone agreed that it must have been a very successful mating, and that it had been the correct choice to use the 'nectar of the gods'. Yes, there was no doubt the harvest would be especially good this year. Everyone was pleased.

After they had eaten, they had several hours to themselves before they had to get ready for the evenings dinner and rituals. Apparently, the aurora would peak tonight, and that was to be celebrated with a special ritual and special food and drink. It also meant the evening meal would take place a little later today, since the peak of the aurora was close to midnight, and the two events apparently had to coincide.

Sam suggested they take a walk through the small forest and maybe climbed the low mountain - barely more than a hill - while they waited. Martouf and Lantash happily agreed. They borrowed a basket, and were given a bottle of sparkling wine, some bread and cheese, as well as fruit - though all that was available at this time of the year was apples, oranges, and some kind of pear-like fruit. That should be more than enough to last them until dinner-time, even if they got some exercise by walking and climbing.

\------  
"It's really nice up here." Sam said, sighing contentedly as she leaned against Martouf's shoulder. "The food and the wine is good...this is almost a vacation, and I'm sitting here with _two_ wonderful guys." She turned and gave Martouf a kiss on the side of the neck. "I can almost forgive Wihnek and the others for drugging us!"

Martouf put an arm around her and buried his face in her hair. "Hmmm, very nice. I cannot long be angry at the people here, when what they did lead to _this_!"

It was late afternoon, and they would have to begin walking back very soon if they wanted to be back in time to bathe, dress in whatever clothing they were supposed to wear today, and get to the town square where the evenings meal would again be served.

"You know, while I really do want to go back to Earth and civilization...there is also a part of me that wishes we could just stay here, together." She smiled, sheepishly. "When we get back, I guess things will more or less be back to usual. I mean, we won't see each other very often, and then usually only when there's some sort of emergency, so it would be kind of hard to have any sort of relationship, right?"

Martouf looked hurt. "Does that mean you are not interested in becoming our mate? You are not willing to even _try_ to make a...a _relationship_ with Lantash and me work? Did what you say before, about loving us...did it mean _nothing_ to you? What about last night?"

"Listen, I didn't mean it that way. Not at _all_. I...I _do_ love you, of course I meant that! It's just...we live on different worlds, we're from different cultures...and we have both chosen to live a life that doesn't exactly leave us much time for relationships."

"Samantha, Lantash and I very much wish you to become our mate. We are willing to go to great lengths to make this work. It is true...there are some obstacles, but we love each other, and is that not what matters? Even if we can only be together now and then, would that not be worth fighting for? As Tok'ra, we have very little time to ourselves, but that does not stop us from enjoying that time, nor from finding mates. If we allowed ourselves no happiness, then what kind of life would that be? What would there be to fight for?"

"Eh, that's true, of course." Sam sighed. "I'm...just not sure if I'm ready to leave Earth and live in the tunnels...or if I'll ever be."

"Then, perhaps Lantash and I could move to your planet? We would have much to offer the SGC, if they would allow us to join."

"You would leave the Tok'ra for me?" Sam looked at him, shocked.

He shook his head. "We would not be leaving the Tok'ra. That we would never do. Tok'ra are loyal for life. No, but we might serve the Tok'ra as a...a liaison, perhaps. It could well be in the interest of the Tok'ra to have one of our people living with our allies, the Tau'ri - and helping them."

"That would be wonderful - and it is a great idea. We could certainly use your knowledge and experience in dealing with many things. However, I'm afraid it may be hard to get my superiors to see that."

"It would probably also be difficult to convince the Tok'ra Council, but perhaps not impossible. I am certain Selmak will support us, and maybe Garshaw as well. She has a soft spot for your people, Colonel O'Neill in particular, as unbelievable as that sounds!"

" _Garshaw?_ " Sam said, sounding disbelieving. "You're right, that _does_ sound unbelievable!"

"She may seem somewhat...harsh, especially if you do not know her well. She is, however, a nice person, and her fondness for the Tau'ri is genuine."

"Okay." Sam nodded. "Listen, let's talk about this later. I do agree it's worth trying." She smiled at him, then gave him a kiss. "It _would_ be great if we could live on the same planet. It would certainly make a relationship easier!" She sighed. "It's time to get going, if we don't want to be late, and I guess we're still guests of honour, so that would probably not be good."

\-----  
Sam smiled, a little forced, as yet another happy and smiling villager approached her and Martouf/Lantash, and said something in the local tongue. Neither she, nor Martouf/Lantash had any clue what was _actually_ said, but it seemed to be some sort of greeting or blessing. The locals were saying variations of it to each other as well, so it probably had something to do with the festival, and was not something she needed to be concerned with. She nodded gracefully at the villager, and he left, looking pleased.

The sky was already blazing with the aurora, the displays even more colourful than the other days, even if there was still almost three hours left before it peaked, just around midnight. The sun had set nearly two hours ago, and the sky was otherwise dark. The lights that had been hung around the town square were colourful, but more subdued than the other days - it was clear the intention was that the aurora should be given as much attention as possible, while still ensuring there was enough light to see by.

People were dressed in clothes that mimicked the colours of the sky, and none more so than what she and Martouf/Lantash wore. She looked down at the shimmering material, which appeared to be some sort of silk, and which reflected the lights around them quite beautifully. Instead of being like the robes they had worn the first days here, and which everyone else wore, their clothes were cut more like what they had worn yesterday. Clearly, as the 'chosen' couple, they were still being singled out. Not really surprising, given that today was the height of the aurora, and probably also of the ritual part of the festival. She shrugged and looked up.

"Finally! There's Wihnek." She nodded in the direction of the group of Council members, priests, and priestesses that were coming their way.

Wihnek bowed to them, smiling happily. "Samantha, Martouf...Lantash," He made an extra deep bow as he said the last name. "How has the first day of your married life been?"

Sam looked at him, shocked. " _Married_?"

"We are married?" Martouf echoed.

"Of course." Wihnek frowned. "Was that not obvious? You served kama juice for each other, the gong was struck for you each time the priest chanted a blessing for you, and the children sprinkled leaves and flower petals over you each time as well. What else could this mean?"

"That's _not_ how marriage is performed in my culture!" Sam exclaimed. "How should I know that's what it was?"

"I cannot say I have seen this ritual before either," Martouf added.

Wihnek looked puzzled. "I see...however, as gods are all knowing, Lord Lantash must have known, of course. Why else would he have drunk the 'nectar of the gods'? If he did not chose to inform either of you, he must have had his reasons."

Martouf opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again, speechless. A few moments later, his eyes glowed.

Lantash frowned and seemed to consider what to say, "My reasons are none of your concern. However, though I know your motivation, it would please me, if you would explain your reasons for deciding to drug myself, my host, and my mate."

Sam gave him a strange look, but made no comment, realising he could hardly claim not to have known what was happening, or what the drug would do, if he were to continue to make them believe he was a god. Which they had decided was the better course of action, given there was no way of knowing how the people of this world would react otherwise.

"As you wish, my Lord." Wihnek said. He looked somewhat uncomfortable. "When Khoanna sensed you, she felt, ah, that you could perhaps not be trusted to perform your duty, and mate...at least not during this festival. She was certain you would want to eventually." He added, quickly. "We did not inform you that we knew of this, because Khoanna had sensed your deep wish to become mates. We decided to perform the marriage ritual, and when you did not object, we assumed you agreed, and had only objected to mating because you were not yet married. Such is the belief on some of the worlds we trade with, and we believed the same held true for you. Drinking kama fruit juice is a normal part of our joining ritual, and it would assure your willingness to, ah, perform the desired mating. The 'nectar of the gods' is rarer, and never used in such quantities, but it was obvious you were immune to the kama fruit."

"How would you dare do something like that to me?" Lantash demanded. "When you know what I am?"

"My Lord." Wihnek bowed deeply. "Khoanna sensed your deep love and desire for Samantha, and we immediately knew you would want us to do this. Of course, since you _are_ a god, you would know this was our intention, and that you would actually be testing us, to see if we would do as the gods decreed, long ago, and ensure that the chosen couple mated."

Sam groaned softly, and Lantash felt like yelling at them - or possibly laughing at the insanity of all of this. As it was, he simply decided it was not worth it, and gave up questioning them. In a way, they were right - he _had_ gotten that which he so dearly wanted.

\-----  
Dinner had only started just before midnight, after a fairly long, elaborate ritual, celebrating the peak of the aurora. It consisted of priests chanting, the gong being struck, and then one person from each family walking up to the head priest, leaving an offering in front of him. It could be a basket of apples, a sack of grain, or something similar. All of this would be burned in a large fire in front of the Stargate the next day. Sam assumed this was some sort of adaption, since the Goa'uld would probably originally have sent Jaffa through to pick up tribute.

According to Wihnek, the crescendo of colours in the sky was a sign from the gods that they had noticed the celebrations and were approving. Now the people on this planet just had to perform the last rituals correctly, and they would then be blessed with a bountiful harvest.

The food had been as tasty today as it had all the other days - and this time there had been no suspicious fruit juice for her and Martouf/Lantash to drink, so apparently no one was trying to drug them today. That was something, at least. Sam allowed herself to relax and enjoy herself. Good food, nice company, and the opportunity to observe a quite alien culture. Daniel would become green with envy when she told him about it!

She reached out and took a piece of the pie that had just been placed on their table. It looked very good, and there did not seem to be any sort of suspicious sauce for it - just something that looked and tasted like sour cream. She took at bigger bite of the pie and munched on it. It tasted great - and she detected no traces of that damn kama fruit! She took a drink from the wine and turned to Martouf.

"I think it's safe to eat." She smiled at Martouf, who was giving her concerned looks. "Here, try it!" She held out a spoonful to him.

He opened his mouth and accepted the offering, eating it slowly, and with some trepidation. After a few moments, he nodded. "You are correct. Lantash agrees with you - there are no traces of either kama fruit or 'nectar of the gods'."

Reassured, he took a piece of the dessert himself, and ate it, enjoying it immensely. The food was good and the locals really did not seem out to drug them tonight, so he would relax and enjoy himself - as Samantha wisely had chosen to.

\-----  
"Come and dance with me?" Sam grabbed Martouf's hand and pulled at it, giggling.

*I believe Samantha is somewhat intoxicated. We should warn her. The wine she seems to have a fondness for is quite strong.* Martouf remarked.

*We should, I suppose...however, there is no danger here, and we will protect her in any case. She works much too hard normally, and I believe it would only be good for her to relax and enjoy herself. If getting drunk and dancing will achieve that, then I am very much in favour of it.*

*I agree. Actually, Lantash, why don't you let us feel the alcohol a little too?*

*We have drunk enough that it is _already_ affecting us slightly, but...as you wish. I will not filter it out for the rest of the evening, though we should not drink so much that we are not in control of ourselves. We both desire Samantha very much and I do not wish to risk, ah, ravishing her.*

*One of us should answer her. She is pulling at us, and I believe she has inquired several times if we wish to dance. She is...pouting.* Martouf smiled at Sam. "Forgive me. I was talking to Lantash. While we do not know the dances of this world, they do not look too difficult. We would very much enjoy dancing with you, Samantha."

Sam smiled happily again. "Great! Come, let's hurry, then. They've already started!"

Grinning, Martouf allowed himself to be pulled out among the dancers. He had to admit it looked fun.

\-----  
They danced for almost two hours, now and then taking breaks to eat a little or drink something. Martouf and Lantash were drinking the sparkling fruit wine, while Sam mostly preferred a sweet fruit wine. She was getting quite drunk, as well as more than a little affectionate. Martouf - and Lantash - were getting tipsy as well, and did not really mind Sam's attention. Quite on the contrary, actually, but they were starting to get a little worried that some of the meddlesome priests or Council members had slipped kama fruit into her drink.

"Time to sit down and take a break!" Sam giggled. "I'll just go get a refill - and maybe some cake. What about you? Do you want anything, lover?" She gave him a passionate kiss, which made his mind go hazy for several moments.

"Um, yes...why not?" He managed.

Sam grinned and leaned in to kiss and suckle on his neck, on the exact spot where she remembered Lantash could be pleasured best. Martouf made a strangled sound, and Sam smiled. She hurried off to get them the drinks before Martouf could grab her and kiss her again. Just as she turned, winking at him, she saw his eyes flash, indicating Lantash had come fore.

She smiled to herself as she accepted the two large glasses a server handed her, then swayed suggestively with her hips as she sauntered over to Lantash. "Hi, there sexy..." She let her eyes slide over him, from head to toe, a somewhat predatory look on her face.

Lantash was a little surprised at her unusual behaviour, but in no way adverse to it. He gave her a naughty smile and shamelessly admired her shape. "My Samantha..."

Sam went over to him, but instead of handing him his glass, she took a large drink from it - but did not swallow it. She pressed her lips to his and when he parted them, she allowed the liquid to flow into his mouth. He drank it quickly, focusing on Sam and the passionate kiss she was now giving him, entangling her tongue with his. He felt a strong rush of desire, and embraced her tightly.

When they broke for air, Sam giggled and looked happily at him. She handed him his glass, and touched her own to it. "Cheers! To us!" She giggled again before she drank the contents of the glass in one long gulp.

"To us!" Lantash said, hoarsely. He took a long drink, emptying the glass and putting it down before reaching for Sam again. He felt incredibly horny, and as he pressed his already hard erection against her, he realised something. *Go'tak, kel kek tar'kreshta!* He swore.

*Language...* Martouf chided abstractedly. *Why are we not hurrying back to the hut? Or better, let's just take a walk to somewhere less populated...say, over behind that building over there. Our shaft is aching, and Samantha is clearly willing...*

*The gonach hasshaks drugged us again!*

Any further comments he might have had on the subject were interrupted when Sam threw her arms around him and kissed him, one of her hands again going to the place on his neck that was most pleasurable for Lantash. He made a strangled sound and kissed her deeply, slipping a hand up under her shirt and fondling her breasts, the other going to caress and cup her ass. He distantly heard people around them cheering them on, and he decided to find a better place.

Lantash lifted Sam up and carried her off in the direction of their small cottage, walking there as quickly as he could.

He put her down just inside the door, turning to close it. He had barely done so when Sam pushed him against it and began kissing him, her hands roving all over him. He groaned as she cupped his erection, fondling it slowly through the material of his pants. He returned her kisses, pressing himself into her caress. The combination of his lovely - and very horny - Samantha, and the strong aphrodisiac was making his blood burn and his mind hazy with lust. He could not think of anything except her - and of how he as quickly as possible could bury his aching shaft inside her and get some relief from the agony.

They pulled at each other's clothing, getting it off as quickly as possible and not caring if they ripped anything. Sam was naked except for her bra, and Lantash was wearing only his shirt, when he grabbed her and turned them around, pushing her against the wall beside the door. She moaned and wrapped one of her legs around him as he lifted her up. He found her opening and thrust inside hard, sinking deeply. They both hissed from the sensation. Sam was very wet, but also very tight around him, and he held himself very still for a few moments, waiting until he was not quite as close to coming. Sam wriggled against him, and he gave in, beginning to move, as slowly as he could at first.

She wrapped her other leg around him and used the wall and her legs to push against him in time with his thrusts, making them move faster than he had intended. She again slid a hand to his neck and began pleasuring him there. He groaned and embraced her tightly, putting one of his hands under her ass for support as he walked to the nearby table.

Not caring if the things on the surface broke, he swept the bowl with fruit and the small vase there to the floor, putting Sam down on the table. The height was perfect and he began thrusting hard into her. Sam leaned back on the table and bent her knees, pressing her feet against the surface to have some leverage. She began moving her pelvis in rhythm with his thrusts, groaning as he increased his speed. Wanting, needing more contact, she put her legs around him again and used her heels to press him towards her.

"OH... _Lantash_!" She panted. "So...so very close...I need...need you to...fuck me _harder_!" She arched against him.

Lantash placed a finger against her clit and rubbed it as he started ramming himself into her. It took very little before Sam cried out from her intense climax, bucking against him. Lantash moaned and closed his eyes, the contractions of her pussy pushing him over the edge and he came hard.

When he had recovered enough to be able to move, he lifted her up and carried her to the bed. He joined her there and pulled the blanket over them, as Sam snuggled against him. They were asleep almost immediately.

\-----  
It was about an hour later when Sam woke up from an intensely erotic dream. She moaned softly and slid a hand down between her legs, touching herself. Beside her, Martouf/Lantash stirred in his sleep, rolling over on his back, and Sam turned towards him. She put her hand on his semi-erect manhood, and began to pump it with slow, gentle movements.

His member hardened quickly under Sam's fondling, and an soft moan escaped him. Sam felt an even stronger need to feel him inside her, and she kissed the head of his now very hard cock. She licked it from the tip all the way down to the base, then back up again. Twirling her tongue around the top, she then opened her mouth and took as much of him as she could inside, sucking gently, then harder, as she slid up and down.

Martouf/Lantash woke up, groaning and thrusting upwards. " _Samantha_!"

She pulled back a little and giggled. "You want more?"

" _Yes_!" Martouf exclaimed. He looked at her in the semi-darkness, an expression of almost desperation on his face. "I need you! _Now_!"

"Good, because I need you as well...I need that big, hard cock of yours inside me..." Sam cooed as she straddled him, then slowly sank down over him, filling herself at a leisurely pace. She wriggled a little and took another inch, then one more, slowly taking him all the way, then making a satisfied sound.

Martouf swallowed and did his best to control himself, allowing her to do this at her own speed. He cupped her breasts and began kneading them gently, as Sam started sliding up and down on him. He closed his eyes for a few moments, enjoying the sensations she was causing.

She gyrated her hips and rubbed herself against him every time she reached bottom, then rose over him again, before sliding down, slowly building speed. Martouf put his hands on her hips, and pulled her down hard as he thrust upwards, groaning, "My Samantha...I..."

She gasped. then giggled. "Ah...ah..." She tried to sound stern, " _Behave_..."

Martouf let out a small whimper and moved his hands away, grabbing hold of the sheets instead. A few moments later his eyes suddenly glowed, as Lantash took over. He immediately grabbed hold of Sam's hips again and flipped them over, starting to pound into her.

Sam squealed, then moaned softly and started arching up towards him in rhythm with his thrusts. She ran a hand over his chest, finding a nipple and pinching it lightly, making Lantash gasp. She put her legs around him, and using them for leverage, she pulled him down towards her in time with his hard thrusts. She was so very close now, her world consisting only of Lantash who was pounding into her, the pleasure rising with each thrust and threatening to spiral out of control. Suddenly, she cried out, coming hard.

She writhed under him, rubbing against him. Lantash made an unintelligible sound as her pussy contracted around his cock, and he started thrusting frantically, almost ramming himself into her. It took very little time before he came, pressing himself as deeply inside her as possible and uttering some words in Goa'uld - and Samantha's name - as he spilled his seed. Panting, he collapsed on top of her, still jerking/spasming a little against her, highly sensitive after the intensity of his climax.

Sam held him to her, kissing his neck and shoulder, until he had recovered enough that he could raise himself up over her again. He smiled at her, leaning in and kissing her deeply. "My _wonderful_ naughty Samantha!" He rolled off her and pulled her to him, snuggling against her back and kissing her hair and neck. "I love you so much!"

She sighed happily. "I love you too, Lantash...and Martouf. I must admit I am very happy we ended up on this planet - and that we're married, I guess. We _will_ find a way to make it work."

"Of that I am certain." He kissed her neck again, then yawned. "We should sleep a little before this drug makes us mad with lust and wakes us up again."

Sam giggled. "Yeah. I guess we should." She snuggled even closer to him, yawning as well. "I am quite tired. Though this is definitively the most pleasant way of being kept awake, I can think of!"

\-----  
Day 7.

It was late when they finally got out of bed and dressed. Today would be the last day of the festival, and there would be another big celebration in the evening. These people really believed in partying! Tonight, however, there should be no religious ceremonies or rituals. It was simply a celebration of a - hopefully - successful festival. Tomorrow the Stargate should again function normally, and they would be going home.

Sam had to admit that as much as she was looking forward to that, there was also a part of her that felt sorry for leaving, mostly because having a relationship with Martouf and Lantash would not be as easy when they were all back to their daily lives and duties.

What would she tell her team mates? Was she even ready to admit she had not only started a relationship with Martouf/Lantash, but was now married to them? For that matter, would the marriage even be valid on Earth? Thinking more about it, she actually seemed to remember it being something that had been discussed, because Earth now had allies on other worlds. She did not know what the results had been of those discussions, but that was for later, anyway.

Then, what would the Tok'ra say? She more than suspected they would recognize the joining, but she also suspected they would not be happy if Martouf/Lantash ended up living on Earth, even if it was only for a period of time. She sighed. So many questions.

She looked up at the sky, with the blazing sun, and remembered the predicament these people were in. She was no longer angry at them, not really - at least she did not want them to die because their sun was perhaps becoming unstable, and their planet's climate was turning more inhospitable, as they had discussed earlier. They would have to make a proper study of it all and determine if it was as they suspected. If the changes were temporary or periodic, Earth and the Tok'ra could help them with irrigation techniques and such, but if it was a permanent or very long-term change for the worse, the population would eventually have to be moved. She did not think they would be very pleased about that, and they might even resist. She sighed again, deeply.

Martouf looked at her with some concern. "Is there a problem, Samantha?"

"No...no, not really. I was just thinking about...well, about going home and what would happen then. With us, I mean."

"You are my mate. The Tok'ra will acknowledge that. Will your Stargate Command not do so?"

"I don't know. Perhaps." She said, honestly. "I hope so."

Martouf gave control to Lantash, who looked up, eyes flashing. "If they do not, it is an insult to the Tok'ra. Your people are our allies. If they will not acknowledge a joining which the Tok'ra have told them is valid, then it may well turn into a serious crisis. Whatever the Council would otherwise feel about me taking a non-Tok'ra mate, or me going to live on the world of the Tau'ri, they would certainly not accept insults like _that_."

Sam suddenly felt as if she was getting a headache. "I do know there's been some talk about us acknowledging off-world marriages - prompted by several of our allies, so perhaps it won't be a problem." She said, hurriedly.

"I certainly hope not! We allow marriage between consenting adults... _any_ consenting adults, so your people deciding on anything less would be very disappointing."

She decided to steer the discussion in another direction. "Another thing...what about the people here? What if we learn their planet won't sustain them for much longer and they'll have to move? Do you think they would even agree to that?"

Lantash calmed down and gave it some thought. "I very much suspect they would not be happy to do so. I am almost certain they will claim they have to stay here, because their 'gods' have told them to - and that they will fear some sort of bad luck or retribution from these 'gods', if they should chose to evacuate."

"That's kinda what I though too. Well, I suppose we'll just have to hope it's just a temporary phase their star is going through, then...or else hope the diplomats can convince them!"

He sighed. "Even if they have to be evacuated, it may not be an insurmountable problem. If diplomacy fails, and they need their 'gods' to tell them it is acceptable - or even imperative - that they move, some of the Tok'ra can dress up and pretend to be whatever Goa'uld ruled this world. I am sure we can find that information somewhere."

Sam stared at him for a moment, then grinned. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that? They think _you're_ a god, so they may even move if you tell them they should!"

"They very well may," Lantash agreed. "But I believe we should determine if it is even needed before I or other Tok'ra attempt it. As you say, it may be a temporary problem."

"If we help them - either to move or otherwise - then perhaps they'll agree to share some of their medical knowledge. I mean, they healed my foot in no time, with that ointment - and they can cure a hangover too. Who knows what else they can do?"

"Make people libidinous, though I doubt that particular drug will be among those your people will want." He smiled wryly.

"Well, you never know..." Sam grinned mischievously at him. "I think it had a rather nice effect..." She pulled him close and kissed him.

"Very nice, but I don't need an aphrodisiac for that. You are more than enough to drug me..." Lantash murmured before he deepened the kiss. He was suddenly very happy there were still several hours before they had to be anywhere.

\-----  
The evening's party had been nice. The food had been just as good as the other days, and there had been plenty of it - as well as lots to drink. There had also been happy music and much dancing. Everyone felt it had been a good festival, and repeatedly thanked Sam and Martouf/Lantash for assuring the success.

Lantash had talked with Wihnek, and made sure he understood there would be _no_ drugging of either him and his host, or of Sam. Wihnek had promised to take care of it, and he had clearly done as he promised, because neither Sam, nor Martouf and Lantash were given any kind of aphrodisiac. When they returned to their hut, they were a little tipsy, but otherwise themselves.

When the door had closed behind them, Sam turned to Martouf/Lantash and smiled at them. "My sweet beloveds! Finally alone..." She threw her arms around them and started to kiss them.

Martouf happily embraced her and returned the kiss, ecstatic she desired him as much now as she had when under the influence of the aphrodisiac. "My lovely Samantha..."

The kiss deepened quickly, and they began tearing at each others clothes. Sam's skirt fell to the ground and she moaned as Martouf began pleasuring her with his hand, stroking her clit and pumping in and out of her with first one, then two, later three fingers.

She pushed against his fingers, writhing and panting a little. "I want you. _Now_!"

Martouf smirked, then lifted her up and carried her to the bed.

\-----  
Sam gazed at the sky, frowning. "I really hope the locals here will listen, if it turns out we have to evacuate them. Do you think they will accept that whatever Tok'ra visit them, are actually their gods?"

Lantash pondered this. "No, perhaps not. However, Martouf and I have an idea. We will tell the people here that I will check with their 'gods' and see if they have been too busy with other things to notice the problems here. Then, I will say that if their 'gods' determine there is a problem they need to address, they will contact the people here about it. They...may have plans for this world which is not for mere mortals to know...and which necessitates the people here moving somewhere else."

Sam nodded. "That sounds as something they would believe. Good idea!" She smiled at him.

"Thank you." He smiled wryly. "I suggest we go an approach them about it now."

\-----  
They stood at the Stargate, wearing local clothing, similar to what they had worn on the day they had ended up married, though not quite as heavily embroidered. It turned out their uniforms had been destroyed - accidentally, or so it was claimed - shortly after they had been taken from them. So sorry. Sam was at the point were nothing surprised her from these people anymore, and just put on the clothes they wanted her to wear, hoping dearly her team mates would one day stop laughing.

They had said their goodbyes to Wihnek and the local delegation from the Council - as well as received several gifts from them. Lantash had given them the story about him wanting to check in with their 'gods', and making sure they had not overlooked something. He assured them that if there was a real problem that needed taking care of, their 'gods' would arrive and tell them what should be done. This had made Wihnek and the others even more grateful, and Lantash had to stop them from falling to their knees and worshipping him.

Still grinning to herself when she remembered Lantash's unhappy expression, Sam dialed the address to Earth, and the Stargate connected, the wormhole opening with the usual kawoosh a few moments later.

Sam relaxed, no longer afraid they would be stranded here forever. She input the IDC into her GDO, and waited for the clear signal. "Okay, they're receiving us! We're good to go!" She smiled at Martouf, who nodded solemnly.

They walked through, exiting on the ramp at Stargate Command.

"Stand down!" Hammond ordered, and the soldiers lowered their weapons. Daniel, O'Neill, and Teal'c came through the door to the gateroom at the same moment, and Sam smiled. She was home.

"Hi, Sam!" Daniel called out, smiling. "Martouf. Wow, you both look...ah, _different_ in that!"

"Welcome back, Carter." O'Neill said, grinning as he appraised the way she and Martouf looked. "And Marty. Interesting outfits."

Teal'c and Hammond both greeted them as well, but made not comments about their clothes, something Sam felt like kissing them for.

"Hi, guys. It's nice to be home." Sam said.

"Greetings. Our uniforms were...ah...destroyed, so we got these from the population of the planet we stayed on." Martouf told them.

"Yeah, why didn't you come back earlier if you weren't wounded? We've been worried - I mean, Sam, we _did_ figure out the wormhole must've jumped like it did when you and Jack got sent to Antarctica, but we had no idea where it might have sent you guys." Daniel said.

"There were some periodic, intense flares from the sun there, which would've harmed travellers, so the Stargate wouldn't even activate." Sam explained. "Which reminds me...we need to check out their sun more closely. Their climate is getting hotter, and they have problems growing enough food. We may have to help them or evacuate them."

"I wish we could help them, but I am afraid we've been told we can't spend resources on things like that. Unless they have something to offer." Hammond said, looking apologetic.

"Actually, they do. They have some advanced medical knowledge. Using some sort of ointment, they cured my twisted ankle in minutes!" Sam told him.

Hammond nodded. "That is certainly of interest. I will see what I can do about getting a team sent there to check it out. Now, why don't you come with me to the briefing room, so we can hear all about what happened."

"Yes, sir." Sam said, not sure what she was going to tell them.

"Nice necklaces you both have," Daniel noted, interestedly, as they walked along the corridor to the briefing room. "Do they have some sort of significance?"

"Yes. They are joining necklaces, signifying we are mated," Martouf informed him.

"They are... _what_?" O'Neill stopped in his tracks and turned to him.

"Joining necklaces."

"Yeah, I _heard_ that!"

Martouf's eyes flashed. "Why, then, did you ask?" Lantash sounded annoyed.

"Congratulations, Major Carter, Martouf, Lantash," Teal'c said, inclining his head to them and smiling a little.

"Eh, yes. Congratulations, Sam." Daniel looked confused, then smiled. "Oh, and to you too, Lantash - and Martouf."

"Thanks, Teal'c, Daniel." Sam looked a little embarrassed to have this information thrown out there like this, but also relieved. She smiled at Lantash, reassuring him she was not angry at him and Martouf.

"Why did you suddenly decide to get _married_? Wasn't that a bit sudden?" O'Neill asked, still in shock.

"It wasn't actually our choice...at first, anyway," She explained.

"They married us without saying so - and speaking only a language we did not understand. It was not translated until the next day. They also drugged us." Lantash said.

"Drugged you?" Daniel frowned.

"Yes. With a very potent aphrodisiac," Lantash told them. "I was completely unable to negate its effects."

"How convenient!" O'Neill scoffed.

"Are you implying I deliberately allowed it to affect me as an excuse to mate with Samantha?" Lantash sounded enraged.

"Oh, yeah," O'Neill said. "I mean, you haven't exactly done a great job of hiding your lust for her! I wouldn't put it beyond you snakes to be completely unscrupulous."

"Colonel! That's just not true!" Sam said quickly, looking angry. "He wasn't to blame! It was part of their, uh, fertility rituals, in order to ensure a good harvest. Besides, they drugged me too."

"And these people we're supposed to help!" O'Neill exclaimed. "Not that snakeboy here's off the hook. How do ya know he wasn't scheming with them?"

"How _dare_ you suggest I was working with the locals in order to seduce Samantha!" Lantash's eyes flared golden-white as he took a step towards O'Neill.

"Okay, stop it!" Sam hissed at O'Neill. "Why do you behave like this?"

"How come _you're_ so accepting?" O'Neill threw Lantash a quick look before returning his gaze to Sam.

"We _were_ angry at them at first," Sam said. "A lot!"

"However, they did the only thing they felt they could do, in order to save their world," Lantash explained, only moderately calmer.

Daniel nodded. "That's probably correct. You really need to tell me everything about this culture!" He again looked with interest on both their clothing and the jewelry.

"Well, I guess polygamous, alien marriage rituals done against your will wouldn't be recognized in any court, so you should be home free!" O'Neill snorted.

"The Tok'ra will acknowledge our joining, provided we all wish it to remain valid." Lantash informed him. "We do." He looked at O'Neill, daring him to say otherwise.

"Carter! You can't possibly..." O'Neill began, shaking his head.

"Sam?" Daniel looked at her, surprised.

"Ah, yes. Um, yes, I guess we do." She blushed, and smiled at Lantash.

"Then you are most fortunate," Teal'c informed them. "The law to acknowledge off-world marriages was passed one month ago."

" _What_!" O'Neill stared at him.

"Indeed. Do you not read your memos?" Teal'c wondered.

"Right!" Daniel suddenly remembered. "I saw that. As long as it happened off-world, there weren't even any limitations to it - number of participants, genders, species....they wanted to make sure they weren't inadvertently offending any of our allies!"

Lantash nodded, looking satisfied. "The Tok'ra will be pleased."

"We're _actually_ married? Even here...on _Earth_?" Sam looked shocked - and happy.

"Yes," Daniel confirmed.

O'Neill shook his head, then saw how happy his team mate looked at being married to the Tok'ra. He sighed, then suddenly grinned. "Well, if that's the case...where's the cake? Shouldn't there be cake?"

  
THE END.

 


End file.
